Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith said he’s “really excited” to watch rookie safety DeMarcco Hellams play in the preseason. He’ll get his opportunity on Friday night when the Falcons visit the Miami Dolphins.

In Atlanta’s training camp on Saturday, Hellams ended practice with an interception off backup quarterback Logan Woodside during a two-minute drill.

“DeMarcco is doing a nice job,” Smith said. “He was a fun player to evaluate. The guy came out of a big program there in D.C. in DeMatha, went down to Alabama, persevered, and you just saw him pop all over the tape. He was always around the football. You saw that today.

“I think he’s done a really good job as a communicator back there, so I’m excited. He’s a guy that I’m really excited to see in the preseason to see how that translates.”

The Falcons chose Hellams from Alabama in the seventh round of the NFL Draft on April 29. Atlanta brought him aboard after signing safety Jessie Bates III away from the Cincinnati Bengals with a four-year, $64.02 million contract in March. Atlanta signed Bates even though 2022 starting safeties Richie Grant and Jaylinn Hawkins remained with the team.

The Falcons’ first depth chart of the preseason listed Hellams as a third-team safety, and the fourth safety spot seems to be the one where the competition is concentrated with Hellams, Micah Abernathy and Lukas Dennis vying for that designation.

Combined, the three have played one defensive snap in an NFL regular-season game. Abernathy played in two games with the Green Bay Packers last season. Dennis joined Atlanta after playing for the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks earlier this year.

The Falcons and Dolphins will square off at 6 p.m. CDT Friday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.