ATLANTA – After selecting guard Chris Lindstrom with the No. 14 overall pick, the Falcons weren't done on Day 1 of the NFL Draft. General manager Thomas Dimitroff traded with the Los Angeles Rams to get back in the first round to select Kaleb McGary with the 31st overall pick.
McGary is a player the Falcons zeroed in on in the final weeks leading up to the draft and they knew if they didn't go up to get him, he wouldn't be around by the time they made their next pick in the second round.
McGary brings the type of toughness the Falcons want from their offensive linemen. And he can move extremely well for a 6-foot-7, 317-pound right tackle.
Here are five things to know about McGary:
1. He's an absolute beast in the weight room
Did you say 610 pounds? No problem for McGary to squat. I wouldn't want to challenge him in the weight room, or the football field, to be honest.
2. He's your guy… if you're into archery
In McGary's spare time, the sport of archery is his hobby. So, if you're looking for McGary on an off day, there's a very good chance he could be shooting arrows outside somewhere.
3. He's no stranger to Atlanta
McGary has already stepped foot onto the turf at at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and played a game in Atlanta. His first time in Atlanta was when Washington played Alabama in the Peach Bowl back in 2016. The Huskies fell to the Crimson Tide, 24-7. He returned to Atlanta and played in his first game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Washington faced Auburn in 2017. So far, McGary is winless in Atlanta as Washington fell to Auburn, 21-16. Here's hoping McGary gets a different result the next time he takes the field at his new homefield.
4. He's a serious hunter
McGary is about as country as they come. When he boarded the plane to head to Atlanta after being drafted, he had his cowboy hat in tow. The day before the draft, McGary went turkey hunting as a way to clear his mind. In fact, he was sharpening his ax on the couch when the draft began.
5. He calls his life a country song
When McGary was in high school, his family lost the farm they lived on during the economic recession. The McGary family moved into an RV and a few years later, a fire started in the RV and the McGary's lost part of their second home. To this day, they are without full electricity in their home. All the while, during McGary's junior year of high school, an arrhythmia was found in his heart. He's had three medical procedures since and has never backed down. And on April 25th when the Falcons traded back into the first round to select McGary, it was a dream come true.
