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Falcons' Nicholas Making Impact

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By IRA KAUFMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 3, 2007

Updated: 09/03/2007 12:12 am

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - The Falcons are crowing about their 2007 draft class and Stephen Nicholas, as usual, finds himself in the middle of the action.

A fourth-round pick out of the University of South Florida, Nicholas started the first two preseason games at weakside linebacker and has made an immediate impact for an Atlanta club expected to give some impressive rookies extensive playing time under first-year coach Bobby Petrino.

'The first thing that really stands out to me was how he seemed comfortable,' Falcons linebackers coach Brian VanGorder said after Nicholas debuted with a four-tackle effort against the Jets. 'He wasn't paralyzed by the first NFL game experience. I thought he held up real well.'

With 326 career tackles at USF, Nicholas ranks second to Kawika Mitchell, who signed with the Giants this spring after four years in Kansas City. Nicholas finished his 50-game stint sitting atop the Bulls record book with 20 career sacks and 50.5 career tackles for loss.

'Coach Jim Leavitt and my linebacker coach Wally Burnham did a great job preparing me for the next level,' said Nicholas, who added five tackles against Buffalo in Atlanta's second preseason game. I talked to Coach Leavitt before I reported to camp and he's been a big supporter.'

Nicholas wasn't selected on the first day of the draft as the Falcons chose defensive end Jamaal Anderson, guard Justin Blaylock, cornerback Chris Houston and wide receiver Laurent Robinson.

All are expected to contribute from the start while Nicholas makes his initial mark on special teams, playing behind Demorrio Williams, a fourth-year pro who just recovered from a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery in the spring.

'If you give this kid an opportunity, you won't get him off the field,' Leavitt said. 'Stephen Nicholas doesn't have any weaknesses. He makes plays, he's relentless and he perseveres. Stephen was a born leader from the start at USF and he's smart as a whip.'

Nicholas has switched his uniform number from 51 to 54, one of a number of adjustments he has made at the pro level.

'I'm finding the terminology is so different in the NFL,' he said. 'But I've been getting plenty of reps here as a rookie, so I find myself reacting more and more instead of thinking. It's all working out for me. I don't look back at the draft and that long first day. It was out of my hands and I ended up not too far from home, so I can't complain.'

Nicholas had two stops in each of Atlanta's two final preseason games, catching the attention of Petrino and Falcons veterans.

'He plays well in space,' running back Warrick Dunn said. 'Nicholas is still learning the system, but you can tell he knows how to play the game.'

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