Atlanta Falcons working again Tyler Allgeier runs the ball throughout sport towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Atlanta. The previous BYU made fairly a splash throughout his rookie season, and might be teammates with former Utes star Clark Phillips III this season. Danny Karnik, Related Press
Brett Jewkes dines with former BYU working again Tyler Allgeier through the Atlanta Falcons Rookie Membership Dinner at The Capital Grille in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, Might 25, 2022. Shanna Lockwood, Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons defensive again Clark Phillips III runs drills throughout rookie minicamp, Saturday, Might 13, 2023, in Flowery Department, Ga. The previous College of Utah standout is now teammates with former BYU working again Tyler Allgeier. Brynn Anderson, Related Press
Main as much as the 2022 NFL draft, Brett Jewkes shared video clips of BYU working again Tyler Allgeier to Arthur Smith, the pinnacle coach of the Atlanta Falcons, and the overall supervisor, Terry Fontenot.
“That was a second of pleasure for me, to see these younger guys chasing the dream and to be a bit of bit part of supporting them and to be in a corporation that places character proper up there with how briskly you possibly can run and the way sturdy you might be.” — Brett Jewkes on Tyler Allgeier and Clark Phillips III now being teammates in Atlanta
Jewkes, a BYU graduate and fan, is the manager vp and chief model and communications officer of the Clean Household of Companies that oversees the Falcons.
He merely relished what Allgeier did for the Cougars and thought he would slot in nicely in Atlanta.
Getting concerned in participant personnel selections is one thing Jewkes had by no means executed in his seven years within the Falcons group.
“I don't get into soccer’s enterprise — they're excellent at what they do and I’m simply the PR man,” mentioned Jewkes. “However I offered some info. I’m not a scout or something. However I stored saying, ‘This man’s a stud. He by no means goes down on first contact.’”
And the leaders of the Falcons assuredly gave the BYU working again an in depth, lengthy look.
Through the draft, Smith instructed Jewkes, “In case your man is there, it may very well be an ideal day.”
On the third day of the draft, Atlanta grabbed Allgeier within the fifth spherical.
“Positive sufficient, he was there, and we took him,” Jewkes mentioned.
After the choose of Allgeier was submitted, Arthur M. Clean, the Falcons’ proprietor, texted Jewkes from the draft room.
“I’ll by no means reveal what he mentioned to me till I write a e book sometime,” he mentioned with amusing, “however he was excited in regards to the participant and mentioned one thing like, ‘This one’s on you.’”
Standing out
Smith instructed Jewkes one of many issues that stood out within the workers’s assessment of Allgeier through the scouting course of was Allgeier’s efficiency within the Independence Bowl, the place he ran for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
“Coach mentioned one thing like, ‘In a meaningless sport, he was taking part in prefer it’s the world championship. That confirmed lots about who he's,’” Jewkes mentioned. “That’s who coach is, too. He needs guys that need it unhealthy and that present they need to work at it. So, we draft Allgeier and I’m personally out-of-my-mind excited within the Falcons facility. However I attempted to play it cool.”
Not solely did Allgeier be part of the Falcons however he ended up dashing 210 occasions for 1,035 yards and three touchdowns. He broke the franchise dashing file for a rookie working bacok.
“Allgeier changing into a Falcon was an ideal second for my household,” Jewkes mentioned. “We had been excited in Atlanta. My brother works at BYU, and he was the primary one who referred to as me. Even my dad, a lifelong Aggie, was thrilled. They find it irresistible.”
Many individuals most likely don’t understand that Allgeier was inactive within the season opener final fall towards New Orleans. He made the roster however was inactive. However after a veteran working again suffered an damage in that sport, Allgeier was activated the following week and confirmed what he might do.
“Because the 12 months went on, he simply stored doing his factor,” Jewkes mentioned. “After Allgeier went off in his second or third sport, Arthur (Smith), Arthur Clean, Terry and others began giving me a nod and because the season went on everybody was ecstatic about having Tyler right here.”
So, earlier than the 2023 draft, Smith requested Jewkes, “Who do you bought? Who're your guys?”
Responded Jewkes, “No, I cashed my one chip. I’m executed” with draft choose options.
This 12 months, the Falcons chosen one other product from the Beehive State — Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III, within the fourth spherical.
Breaking bread
On the Falcons’ rookie orientation dinner, Jewkes requested the group relations group to “put me at a desk with Allgeier and the Ute,” including, “I’m going to dealer peace within the Holy Conflict.”
It was the primary time Allgeier and Phillips had met one another, although they performed towards one another in 2021, when BYU snapped the nine-game shedding streak towards Utah, 26-17.
So how did it go that evening on the orientation dinner?
“Clark Phillips has impressed everybody in our constructing for the reason that day he received right here. He’s assured. In that dinner, he was locked in, listening to Mr. Clean and speaking to a few of our veterans and his maturity was apparent.” — Brett Jewkes on Falcons rookie and former Ute Clark Phillips
“It makes me very proud. These are two actually good younger males who each got here out of actually good applications. Clark Phillips has impressed everybody in our constructing for the reason that day he received right here. He’s assured,” Jewkes mentioned. “In that dinner, he was locked in, listening to Mr. Clean and speaking to a few of our veterans and his maturity was apparent.”
In fact, Jewkes couldn’t resist ribbing Phillips with some good-natured rivalry smack speak.
“Tyler and I had some enjoyable with him that evening as a result of we gained the final sport. However whenever you get all the way down to it, that dinner had two younger studs from Utah colleges,” he mentioned. “That was a second of pleasure for me, to see these younger guys chasing the dream and to be a bit of bit part of supporting them and to be in a corporation that places character proper up there with how briskly you possibly can run and the way sturdy you might be. They're each the kind of folks coach Smith and Terry need on our group.”
‘You all simply gained the lottery’
When Atlanta drafted Phillips, a former colleague in California reached out to Jewkes and despatched him a message.
“I hadn’t labored with him in 20 years. He mentioned, ‘I do know this child and his household. You all simply gained the lottery.’ Or one thing like that,” Jewkes mentioned. “For somebody to do this for a child he noticed develop up within the neighborhood tells you all the pieces about Clark. Clearly, our scouts had executed tons of homework. I had by no means met him till that rookie dinner, and he was very spectacular.”
Brett Jewkes dines with former BYU working again Tyler Allgeier through the Atlanta Falcons Rookie Membership Dinner at The Capital Grille in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, Might 25, 2022.
Shanna Lockwood, Atlanta Falcons
Once more, Jewkes isn’t a coach, however he’s optimistic in regards to the type of position Phillips might have with the Falcons.
“He’s going to have a possibility — you possibly can by no means have too many corners on this league,” he mentioned.
Jewkes remembers watching Phillips play towards USC huge receiver Drake London, who was a rookie with the Falcons final season.
“Drake’s a stud and that one sport was a draw at worst between these two,” Jewkes mentioned. “Drake’s received him by six inches. I’m glad they’re teammates now.”
What’s subsequent for Allgeier
And, in fact, Jewkes is trying ahead to seeing what Allgeier can do in his second 12 months within the league. Regardless, Allgeier has already earned a spot within the hearts of Falcons followers.
“Atlanta is a troublesome, gritty metropolis that's usually ignored and put to the facet by some. Nevertheless it’s a metropolis that has actually risen from the ashes, one which could be very resilient,” Jewkes mentioned. “There’s a grittiness to the hip-hop tradition right here. And but you've got the third-most Fortune 500 corporations which might be right here. You might have this eclectic, numerous place that has a bit of little bit of a chip on its shoulder in some methods.
“Should you’re a man like Allgeier that was a walk-on (at BYU) and a fifth-round choose, who didn’t costume for his first sport, and also you break the (franchise) rookie dashing file, that’s particular. Nevertheless it was the way in which that he did it. Individuals right here fell in love with him.
“Opponents couldn’t sort out him. Within the Cleveland sport, he dragged a man 18 yards. That spotlight, we rode that factor for per week on our digital handles. It was on TV continually right here. That was actually his popping out in an enormous method. To his credit score, he’s a humble child. I guess he’s understanding proper now, hoping he makes the group once more.
“To me, it’s loopy that that is ignored, however 1,035 yards and I feel he had round 250 receiving,” Jewkes continued. “Not a single time did he put the ball on the bottom. He didn’t fumble as soon as. And that is the NFL — they had been attempting to beat the canine out of him. If you wish to get into coach Smith’s coronary heart, do it the appropriate method, be productive and maintain the soccer.”
Many had been shocked when the Falcons picked Texas’ Bijan Robinson within the first spherical, No. 8 total. Some puzzled what that will imply for Allgeier’s future.
“He’s going to be simply nice,” Jewkes mentioned. “Individuals which might be apprehensive in regards to the drafting of Bijan shouldn’t be. I feel Tyler will find yourself having an enormous position this 12 months. I feel you’ll see each of these guys working lots and each of these guys catching lots. They’ll be balanced and coach Smith is without doubt one of the most artistic offensive minds within the league. He’ll discover methods to make use of their distinctive traits.”
Rivals united
Jewkes likes to level out to those who don’t stay in Utah that they will by no means perceive how intense the BYU-Utah rivalry is.
“Individuals out right here don’t care about that one an excessive amount of as a result of they don’t perceive what it’s like on the Wasatch Entrance,” he mentioned. “Likewise, when you haven’t lived in Atlanta or the Southeast, you don’t perceive the Saints-Falcons rivalry. It’s far more intense than what I noticed out of New York-(Philadelphia) after we stay up there. It’s simply brutal, however enjoyable.”
That’s why Jewkes struggles to see Taysom Hill and Jamaal Williams, a pair of former BYU stars, taking part in for the Saints.
“It actually sickens me to have Taysom and Jamaal in New Orleans,” he mentioned. “In addition to Allgeier, Taysom, actually in trendy occasions, is my favourite former BYU participant. Once they signed him, that was like a gut-punch.
“He’s performed rather well towards us the final 4 years. So, after I noticed the transaction go throughout that Jamaal was going there, I used to be like, ‘This can't be occurring.’ Not less than we've one BYU man. It’s the half for me personally that makes this enjoyable.
“It’s enjoyable to have Tyler on this group and it is going to be cool to compete towards these guys, though I want they had been on every other group in addition to that one. It is going to be bizarre to be cheering for a Ute (Phillips) to make some huge stops towards these guys. However I might be.”
The BYU-Utah rivalry is alive and nicely, albeit on a smaller scale, and in several methods, even in a spot like Atlanta.
Atlanta Falcons defensive again Clark Phillips III runs drills throughout rookie minicamp, Saturday, Might 13, 2023, in Flowery Department, Ga. The previous College of Utah standout is now teammates with former BYU working again Tyler Allgeier.
Brynn Anderson, Related Press