Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Atlanta Falcons have hired Shawn Heinlen as their new director of college scouting. Heinlen previously worked as a scout for the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles, and has ties to both Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski. In his new role, Heinlen will be tasked with helping the Falcons improve their draft evaluations and selections as the team looks to build on last year’s strong rookie class.

Why it matters

The Falcons have struggled with their draft picks in recent years, and bringing in an experienced and well-regarded scout like Heinlen could help them identify and select better talent to improve the roster. Heinlen’s connections to Cunningham and Stefanski should also help ensure the front office and coaching staff are aligned on the types of players they want to target.

The details

Heinlen spent the last four years as a scout for the Cleveland Browns, and prior to that he worked for the Philadelphia Eagles for five years. He has over 20 years of scouting experience, including 16 years with the Buffalo Bills. In his new role, Heinlen will be responsible for overseeing the Falcons’ college scouting efforts and helping the team make better draft selections to build depth and talent on the roster.

Heinlen was hired by the Falcons on February 18, 2026.
The players

Shawn Heinlen

Heinlen is the Falcons’ new director of college scouting, bringing over 20 years of experience as a scout for the Browns, Eagles, and Bills.

Ian Cunningham

Cunningham is the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons and has worked with Heinlen in the past.

Kevin Stefanski

Stefanski is the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and has also worked with Heinlen previously.

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What they’re saying

“Heinlen was highly regarded by both, given that he’s getting a pretty significant promotion to come to Atlanta.”

— Dave Choate, Author (thefalcoholic.com)

What’s next

Heinlen will begin his new role immediately, working to help the Falcons improve their scouting and draft evaluation processes ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The takeaway

The Falcons’ hiring of veteran scout Shawn Heinlen as their new director of college scouting is a clear effort to bolster their draft capabilities and identify higher-quality talent to build the roster. Heinlen’s connections to key Falcons decision-makers should help ensure alignment between the front office and coaching staff on the types of players they want to target.