Safety DeMarcco Hellams led Alabama in the 2022 season with 108 tackles. During Nick Saban’s 16 seasons as the Crimson Tide’s coach, only two other draft-eligible players have recorded that many tackles in a season.

Linebacker C.J. Mosley had 108 tackles in 2013, and linebacker Reuben Foster had 115 tackles in 2016.

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The Baltimore Ravens chose Mosley in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The San Francisco 49ers chose Foster in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Atlanta Falcons chose Hellams in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, a humbling circumstance the rookie said was “adding more fuel to the fire.”

The Falcons liked Hellams enough to use a draft pick on him even though they already had three starting safeties on their roster.

Richie Grant and Jaylinn Hawkins remain with the team after serving as the starting safeties in 2022, and Atlanta signed Jessie Bates III, a five-year starter for the Cincinnati Bengals, in free agency.

“Prominent program, and so for him to play in the secondary for (Alabama coach) Nick Saban and to be one of the main communicators on the back end, you know he’s smart,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. “High football IQ. You know he’s versatile. And again, he’s a tough, violent player. He plays with anticipation, and he’s the type of guy, yeah, he can take it away and he can play the ball, but he likes to hit people.

“(The Alabama) defense is fun to watch in general because of the way they play, the way they compete, so bringing in somebody from that secondary that had this type of production at this type of program, you know he can be versatile, you know he can do some different things and wear some different hats on defense and you know he’s going to be a tough, violent special-teams player, as well.”

Hellams agreed with Fontenot about his versatility and the impact that playing for Saban and the Alabama defense had in preparing him for the NFL.

“Wherever I’m needed,” Hellams said at Atlanta’s rookie minicamp when asked about where he fits in the Falcons’ defensive scheme. “I definitely feel like that’s what makes me the player that I am is that I’m open to learning, open to doing whatever for the team. I’m definitely open to doing whatever the coaches need me to do. …

“I feel like my game matches whatever’s needed. If you need a hard-hitting safety who can play in the box, I can do that. If you need a safety over the top, I can do that. I definitely feel like the game is changing, but that’s where players like me come into play.”

A two-way star at DeMatha Catholic in Washington, D.C., Hellams had 78 receptions for 1,469 yards and 21 touchdowns and recorded 12 interceptions as a senior.

Hellams concentrated on the secondary at Alabama. Good enough to get on the field in every game as a freshman, Hellams developed into a full-time starter by the third of his four seasons with the Crimson Tide.

“(Saban) was very influential in my development as a player,” Hellams said. “I definitely credit coach Saban a lot for where I’m at right now. He definitely helped me a lot on the field. He helped me grow as a man off the field. He taught me a lot of things as far as maturity, being ready for the moment, so coach Saban definitely was a key cornerstone in my development. I definitely appreciate everything that coach Saban and Alabama did for me.”

On Tuesday, the Falcons are starting Phase 3 of their offseason program, during which teams are allowed to conduct 10 days of organized team practice activity, often referred to as OTAs. No live contact is permitted, but teams can expand their workouts to include 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

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