Former USF DT Deadrin Senat Selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the Third Round of the 2018 NFL Draft

Former USF defensive tackle Deadrin Senat was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round with the 90th pick of the 2018 NFL draft.

Senat was an integral piece to the defensive turnaround for the Bulls in 2017 after the team was gashed for long runs during the entirety of the 2016 season. He finished second on the team in tackles (66) in ‘17 and capped off his USF career with three sacks against the Glorified Pop Warner Team from Lubbock in the Birmingham Bowl.

He set a career high in tackles with 13 on a very emotional senior night versus Tulsa. He lost both parents when a few years ago and did not walk out like the others seniors because they were not there to greet him.

He finished his USF career with 179 tackles, 23.5 TFL, and seven sacks (six in 2017).

Senat jumped on NFL radars during practice at the East-West Shrine Game where he was consistently rated as the best player during the week.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had this to say:

His squatty frame will limit his scheme fit to 4-3 teams looking for a shade nose in all likelihood. Senat is strong and efficient with a big man’s game in a shorter man’s body. While he’s compact in frame, his arm length is decent and he has the hand quickness to win the initial battle to create a leveraged position. Senat’s postseason (including an impressive bowl performance) has a chance to really bolster his stock and push him up the board.

Zierlein projected him as a fourth or fifth round pick heading into the draft.

Senat joins former USF standout Terrell McClain (third round, Dallas Cowboys 2011) as the only defensive tackles to get drafted in Bulls history. Senat is the highest drafted Bull since CB Kayvon Webster was drafted with the exact same pick in the third round of the 2013 draft by the Denver Broncos.

Senat will get to play in his college stadium once a year when his Falcons visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Congratulations Deadrin and good luck.