He might not end up being the Atlanta Falcons' MVP anytime soon, but undrafted free agent QB Feleipe Franks is one of the more recognizable names on the roster for SEC fans.
Franks spent two seasons as the Florida Gators' full-time starting quarterback and produced 30 total touchdowns in the 2018 season. A year later, however, he suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for majority of the season. When Franks hit the bench, current Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback Kyle Trask excelled and leapfrogged him on the depth chart, which prompted Franks to transfer to conference-rival Arkansas.
Franks played well in his lone season as the Razorbacks' starter, but never regained his Florida form. He ultimately went undrafted, and the Falcons signed him as a free agent.
We spoke with AllGators SI publisher Zach Goodall to gain a better understanding of Franks' outlook heading into training camp.
Q: Feleipe Franks went from a Gator to a Falcon in undrafted free agency. Were you surprised that he wasn't drafted?
A: Don't forget his one-year stint with the Hogs!
Although, much credit needs to be given to Dan Mullen and Brian Johnson for their two years of work with Franks at Florida before his transfer to Arkansas, which came following Kyle Trask's breakthrough after Franks' dislocated his ankle in 2019. The flashes of his well-known physical talent became more consistent in that span, and he also developed into a locker room leader which paid dividends at a rebuilding Arkansas program. With those factors combined, I was surprised that a team didn't take a late-round flier on his upside.
Q: What is Franks' biggest strength that will help him at the NFL level?
A: Arm strength, without a doubt. Franks may have one of the biggest arms in the NFL right now, no joke. The issue is that power has always been raw and could still use fine-tuning for placement purposes. But when he launches a deep ball, it sure is pretty.
Q: What is Franks' Achilles heel and what will prevent him from being successful at the NFL level?
A: Franks' general accuracy and pocket presence have always been his downfall, which led to many questionable throws during his time at Florida as well as a significant fumbling problem that carried over to Arkansas. Although the talent is there to make Franks worth developing, he's as far from a finished product as a quarterback - not a passer, but all-around signal-caller, as they come.
Q: Which quarterback do you compare Franks to on an NFL level?
A: Josh Allen (as a draft prospect and definitely not right now) has always been my go-to comparison, because Allen's time at Wyoming and even his first two pro seasons were littered with inaccuracy, a lack of putting touch on certain throws, and poor decision making. Both quarterbacks possess amazing arm power, great frames, and impressive mobility for their sizes though, so the hope would be that Franks can absorb his NFL coaching to one day turn into the quarterback Allen has become, or at least even a fraction of it.
Q: Do you think Franks can crack the Falcons' 53-man roster, given that Matt Ryan and A.J. McCarron are ahead of him on the depth chart?
A: Most likely not. McCarron isn't a good quarterback in my opinion but he has numerous years of experience and starts under his belt that Franks obviously does not have. He's a practice-squad arm at this point in his career.
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