It was thought that maybe Ra’Shede Hageman would be taken in the First Round of the NFL Draft, but nothing really went the way any ‘experts’ expected it to and Hageman was still sitting there at the end of Thursday night. Hageman didn’t have to wait long on Friday.
The former Minnesota Golden Gopher defensive tackle was taken with the fifth pick in the second round, 37th overall, by the Atlanta Falcons.
Hageman played in 47 games over four years for the University of Minnesota. Hageman started every game in 2012 and 2013. He recorded 98 tackles in his career with 35 in 2012 and 38 in 2013. Hageman had ten sacks in his career for the Gophers, but only had two last year. He had a career high six sacks which in 2012. Hageman did improve his pass deflections stats in 2013 getting eight of his career ten.
The big knock on Hageman is his consistency, more specifically his lack of consistency. Hageman showed great flashes of talent at Minnesota, but never really brought that to the table every single down or every single game.
Hageman, a defensive tackle at the U, could eventually be transformed into a defensive end during his tenure in the NFL.
Hageman will join an Atlanta Falcons team that went 4-12. Before that, the Falcons had made the playoffs three straight seasons and four out of the last five seasons.
Hageman will return to TCF Bank Stadium during Week 4 of the NFL season when the Falcons visit the Minnesota Vikings.