Can a Former Georgia Running Back be Impactful for the 2026 Falcons After Changing Positions?
As OTAs across the league begin to heat up, the Atlanta Falcons are hoping the talent they brought in via the draft will make an impact for the team. Only 53 players will make the roster come Week One of the NFL regular season, and each young player will fight tooth and nail to have a chance to crack it. Sometimes, making a change is what’ll get it done, and a former Georgia running back hopes to make an impact for head coach Kevin Stefanski and the Falcons offense. Atlanta added 14 undrafted free agents following the NFL draft, one of those players being the aforementioned Georgia running back, Cash Jones. Jones spent his entire collegiate career at the University of Georgia, seeing limited snaps until his redshirt sophomore year. Jones was a versatile back during his days as a Bulldog. Jones would rack up 826 yards from scrimmage during his four years in Georgia, 573 of them being receiving yards.
The former Georgia back wasn’t the workhorse running back, but he made up for it with his excellent pass-catching ability in the backfield, hauling in 57 career catches out of the backfield. This would lead to his eventual position change to wide receiver, as he was always a better threat to defenses from a pass-catching standpoint. The change was needed for Atlanta because questions surrounding the team’s future plan in 2026 have continued to grow outside of star Drake London. Despite going undrafted, Jones has received endless praise from the coaching staff during OTAs and rookie minicamps. Head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke on Jones’ versatility and field awareness during his time with the media. “This is a very, very smart football player, you can’t just have a guy go from running back to wide receiver if he’s not intelligent,” Stefanski said after being asked about Jones’ position switch. It seems that Stefanski has high hopes for the former UGA prospect to be a contributor to the offense in some way come the start of the NFL season.
Just like his teammate Zachariah Branch, versatility is the key to his game. The former Bulldogs playmaker has a chance to get utilized in a variety of ways to make an impact for the offense. Despite changing to receiver, he’ll more than likely carry over his skills as a running back. Jones will likely line up in the slot or maybe even in the backfield for his offensive snaps. With his vision as both a pass catcher and a former running back, expect to see him utilized in screen plays or multiple sets. With Stefanski’s new offensive scheme, there is a chance that the former Bulldog will have a spot on the 53-man roster. “If you’re versatile, you give yourself a chance in this league,” Stefanski stated as his final statement to the press about Jones. He may not be on the level of versatility as a Deebo Samuel or Bijan Robinson, but having the ability to move around the line of scrimmage gives ‘Money’ a chance to make bank for the Falcons' offense.
