After two up and down seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Robert Alford is ready to prove he can be a starter. Drafted the same year as Desmond Trufant, Alford failed to make the jump to elite right away like his teammate did and as a result he faced plenty of question marks about his future this season. However, with one preseason game under his belt, Alford is making his presence known.
Trufant continues to sit out with a shoulder injury. According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN, Trufant's injury is not considered to be a severe issue, but it could leave the cornerback out of another preseason game. McClure also reports that William Moore is out with a calf strain that again is not serious, but will limit him. That opens the door for Alford once again. The cornerback got the start in the first game against the Tennessee Titans and made the most of it. He showed versatility playing both outside and nickel while earning the praise of his coaches. It is that versatility that could land him the starting job.
"There are a lot of others guys. But honestly, I feel like any matchup, I'm ready for," Alford said, via ESPN.com. "I look at it like I'm going to win, regardless." "To me, I feel like I can cover anybody. I never have any doubt that I can cover anybody."
Alford's biggest competition to start appears to be rookie Jalen Collins who failed to really impress in his debut with the team. While rookies like Vic Beasley and Justin Hardy made their stamp on the field, it was Collins that did not get off the struggle bus despite being considered as the Falcons most valuable rookie. The Tennessee receivers took advantage of his weaknesses, showing that Collins might not be ready for prime time just yet.
Kevin White, Dezmen Southward and Ricardo Allen are also fighting for time at quarterback. The Falcons are switching Allen from cornerback to safety at the moment, a move that might be permanent especially with injuries to Moore. White could be the dark horse to make a real impact this year. The rookie out of TCU was considered an underrated draft star according to ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr and made a solid impression during the preseason. If he can capitalize off the momentum, White could make the 53-man roster.
