Falcons stay home to pick Georgia football D-lineman Zion Logue in the NFL Draft

The knock against the Atlanta Falcons from some Georgia football fans is that they bypass too many good football players in the NFL Draft from nearby in Athens.

The Falcons have changed that starting in 2022 by taking three Bulldogs in the sixth round over the past three drafts.

The latest came Saturday when defensive tackle Zion Logue was taken by the Falcons with the 197th overall pick.

"We did draft a Georgia Bulldog last, guys," Falcons coach Raheem Morris said near the end of the Falcons' Day 3 press conference dominated by talk of the surprising top 10 pick of quarterback Michael Penix on Thursday. "Let's go."

"I'm just so blessed to stay in Georgia and, man, I'm ready to get started," Logue told reporters in an interview posted on the Falcons' website.

Atlanta took offensive guard Justin Shaffer and tight end John FitzPatrick from Georgia in 2022 in the sixth round.

"I told my Mom at the age of 11, I'm going to get to the league one day so you don't have to work again," Logue said at the NFL combine. "She always tells me don't do it for me, do it for yourself. I still want to make sure my Mom is OK, make sure she's well taken care of."

Some seven-round mock drafts didn’t even have Logue being selected, but the Falcons liked what Logue offered.

The Lebanon, Tenn. native started 16 games and played in 50 for the Bulldogs during his five college seasons. He had 52 total tackles and 1 ½ sacks.

"Big, massive man, he's huge," Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. "Big, strong, physical. Good developmental traits. Love the size and love the makeup."

The 6-foot-5 ½, 314-pound Logue had 17 tackles including 2 ½ for loss last season with 2 pass breakups last season.

The Falcons have never taken a Georgia player in the first two rounds and last took a Georgia player before 2022 when it selected linebacker Akeem Dent in 2011 in the third round.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Atlanta Falcons select Georgia football DL Zion Logue in NFL Draft