The Atlanta Falcons today announced that they have signed kicker Matt Bosher, offensive lineman Andrew Jackson and defensive end Cliff Matthews to four-year contracts. The Falcons also signed kicker Jacob Harfman to a three-year contract.
Bosher, 6-0, 208 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the sixth round (192nd overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. He handled both punting and placekicking duties while playing at the University of Miami. In his career, he punted 234 times for 9,754 yards for a 41.68-yard average, placing 70 of his attempts inside the 20-yard line. He had 49 kicks for 50-yards-or-longer and had 82 of his punts result in fair catches. The Jupiter, Florida native hit 127 of 130 PATs and hit 45 of 53 field goal attempts, scoring 260 points. A three-time All-ACC selection, Bosher played in 50 games at Miami which is tied for the third-most in school history. He is just the sixth punter to be drafted by the Falcons and the first since Harold Alexander was selected in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of Appalachian State.
Jackson, 6-5, 299 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the seventh round (210th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. While at Fresno State he helped make the Bulldogs one of the best power rushing offenses in the NCAA. As a junior, he became the first Bulldog player to earn first team Academic All-America honors and earned first team All-WAC honors. During the same season, he blocked for RB Ryan Mathews who led the nation with 150.67 rushing yards per game. In 2008, Jackson earned second team All-WAC honors and was part of an offensive line that opened holes for an offense that ranked third in the WAC in rushing at 176.8 yards per game. He also started the final 11 games of his redshirt freshman season and earned academic All-WAC honors.
Matthews, 6-4, 268 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the seventh round (230th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. He posted 144 total tackles, including 16.0 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in four years at South Carolina. The Cheraw, SC native notched a season high seven total tackles (four solo) in the SEC Championship Game. In 2009, he earned second team All-SEC honors after recording 47 tackles (35 solo) and a career high 7.0 sacks. He ranked in the SEC's top-five in sacks, led the league with four fumble recoveries, and was tied for second in the conference with three forced fumbles. The Cheraw, South Carolina native was named Freshman All-SEC and honorable mention All-American by Sporting News as an outside linebacker in his freshman campaign.
Harfman, 5-10, 195 pounds, served as the Trojans punter during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The Chino, CA native punted 92 times for 3,719 yards and a 40.4 yard average while at the University of Southern California. Prior to transferring to USC in 2009, Harfman earned J.C. Grid-Wire All-American first team, JC Athletic Bureau All-American first team, JC Athletic Bureau All-California Region III first team and All-Central Conference first team honors at Mt. San Antonio Junior College. In 2008, he made 20-of-26 field goals (including a school-record 56-yarder) and 69-of-76 PATs, with 27 touchbacks on kickoffs, and averaged 40.0 yards on punts.
