As has been the case in past years, we’ll be looking at which players have reportedly talked to the Atlanta Falcons during the week of practices for the Senior Bowl, a collegiate all-star game that will be played on Saturday, January 28, 2012.

Sources for this information, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Twitter.

• CB Brandon Boykin, Georgia
• TE Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette
• WR Brian Quick, Appalachian State

As more information becomes available, we’ll continue to update this list.

Andrew Luck

I spent my bye week trying to catch up on as much college football as I could to prep for this mock draft. It’s the first 46 picks, because at this point, the Falcons first pick will be the 46th overall due to their trading their top pick to Cleveland. So here is my mid-October projection of what next year’s draft could look like through the first round and a half.

1. Indianapolis Colts – QB Andrew Luck, Stanford*
Whether Peyton Manning returns healthy to the Colts next year or not, the Colts will be smart to grab Luck, a player that many consider the best QB prospect since Manning came out in 1998.

2. Miami Dolphins – QB Matt Barkley, USC*
Barkley is not in the same class as Luck, but he’s a pretty good QB prospect that can make up for the Dolphins previous mistake of passing on Matt Ryan.

3. Arizona Cardinals – OT Matt Kalil, USC*
The Cardinals need to solidify their offensive line, starting with their left tackle spot. Kalil is a quality prospect that should allow them to move Levi Brown back to his more natural right tackle spot, killing two birds with one stone.

4. St. Louis Rams – OT Riley Reiff, Iowa*
Jason Smith has struggled at right tackle, and Rodger Saffold has not held up at left tackle. They need to add a blocker that can help out and fix one of those issues.

5. Carolina Panthers – DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina*
Charles Johnson is a solid pass rusher, but they need to find someone to play opposite him. Coples is a premier talent, arguably one of the best since Julius Peppers to come out of Chapel Hill.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars – WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State*
The Jaguars need a No. 1 target for Blaine Gabbert to throw to, and Blackmon has comparable skillset to Terrell Owens.

7. Minnesota Vikings – OT Jonathan Martin, Stanford*
The Vikings need a left tackle to replace Bryant McKinnie since Charlie Johnson was never going to cut it.

8. Seattle Seahawks – QB Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
Tannehill is low on experience, but high on potential and is the quality passer that Pete Carroll has been waiting for.

9. Denver Broncos – RB Trent Richardson, Alabama*
Richardson offers Adrian Peterson-like potential to stabilize the Broncos ground game while Tim Tebow is under center.

10. Washington Redskins – QB Landry Jones, Oklahoma*
Jones is not quite Sam Bradford, but a good QB prospect that Mike Shanahan can grow and develop in his version of the West Coast Offense.

Read more…

Here are the Falcons 2011 draft picks:

One of the positives for the draft’s three-day format is that it gives us time to reflect on the moves of the first round. This is the money round, where teams do the most to help, as well as potentially hurt their teams. It’s much too soon to know how this draft will turn out, but that’s not going to stop me.

Most teams think they’ve hit homeruns, but rarely do they really do. Half a dozen or so teams probably landed a guy that will make multiple Pro Bowls. Most teams will land good players that will be solid starters for them that will be productive, but not great. But some teams will be looking back at this draft five years from now and scratching their heads.

Here are the 5 best picks of Round 1:
Read more…

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweeted earlier today that the Falcons are looking to move up high in the first round of the draft tonight, if the right player is there. The Falcons are looking to move up into the Top 10 to get one of the explosive receivers: A.J. Green or Julio Jones, or possibly cornerback Patrick Peterson. It has been rumored for some time that the Falcons have been interested in moving up in the draft, but those rumors have picked up considerable steam in the past few days due to reports from SI’s Peter King, Glazer, and others.

Trade rumors have the Falcons talking with Arizona (No. 5) and Cleveland (No. 6) as potential trade partners. It is not known what the Falcons are planning to give up, but it seems likely that they will require dealing next year’s No. 1 pick to move up that high.

It’s the final update for the mocks and we had a bunch of different takes on the Falcons draft.

TE Kyle Rudolph

Just like last year, I’m trying to differentiate the updates by how many appear in total vs. unique mocks. Total mocks will be every mock munched, but unique mocks will only count those that are updated and they don’t pick the same player over and over. It gets annoying when you come across sites that update their mocks frequently but rarely make major changes to them, just picking the same players over and over again.

So far in total, there have been 626 mocks munched. Justin Houston and Kyle Rudolph were tied, but a late afternoon update has Rudolph pushing slightly ahead. Rudolph appeared in 81 total mocks, while Houston is in 79. Rudolph also appeared in 51 unique mocks, while Houston just 37. Adrian Clayborn came in a close third place with 67 total mocks, and matched Rudolph’s 49 unique ones. Torrey Smith (47 total, 33 unique), Cameron Heyward (25 total, 19 unique), Gabe Carimi (22 total, 15 unique), Derek Sherrod (21 total, 13 unique), Aaron Williams (22 total, 11 unique), Jon Baldwin (20 total, 12 unique), and Anthony Castonzo (19 total, 9 unique) round out the Top 10. Interestingly enough, Ryan Kerrigan came in 11th with 17 total, but all were unique.

In total, 47 different players at one point in time since January were predicted as the Falcons selection. In 256 of the total mocks or about 41% of the time, a defensive end was selected as the Falcons choice. Next most were: wide receiver (86), offensive tackle (83), tight end (80), and cornerback (44).

4.28 – Pro Football Weekly: Andy Dalton, QB, TCU
4.28 – NFL.com (Mike Lombardi): Greg Little, WR, North Carolina
4.28 – National Football Post: yle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.28 – Draft Insiders: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.28 – FF Toolbox (Warner): Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
4.28 – Draft Countdown: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – Draft Ace: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.28 – Draft Board Insider: Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor
4.28 – Draft Empire: Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
4.28 – Draft Season (Outhouse): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – Draft Breakdown (Spencer & Engle): Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
4.28 – Draft Breakdown (Ryan Lownes): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – Draft Breakdown (Aaron Aloysius): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – Draft Tek: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
4.28 - ESPN Insider (Todd McShay): Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson (subscription required)
4.28 – FF Toolbox (Christiansen): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.28 – FF Toolbox (Standig): Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
4.28 – Mock Draft Online (Anderson): Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
4.28 – Mock Draft Online (Casavetes): Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
4.28 – New NFL Draft: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.28 – NFL Draft Day Insider (Alex): Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
4.28 – OG Draft: Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
4.28 – Sideline Scouting: Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
4.28 – The Draft Shack (Tony Bader): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – The Football Expert (Michael Abromowitz): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – The Football Expert (Clearwater): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.28 – With the 1st Pick (Larry): Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
4.28 – Great Blue North Report: Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
4.28 – CBS Sports (Pete Prisco): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – CBS Sports (Clark Judge): Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
4.28 – Walter Football: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.28 – NFL Draft Geek: Corey LIuget, DT, Illinois
4.28 – My NFL Draft: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – Football’s Future: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.28 – FF Toolbox (Long): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.27 – NFL Draft Dog: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.27 – Draft Bulletin: Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
4.27 – CBS Sports (Chad Reuter): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.27 – Consensus Draft Services: Jon Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
4.27 – Draft Ace (Mike Band): Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
4.27 – Draft Season (Onebar): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.27 – ESPN Insider (Mel Kiper): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa (subscription required)
4.27 – FF Toolbox (Weida): Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
4.27 – National Football Post: Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
4.27 – NFL Draft 101: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.27 – NFL Draft Day Insider (Consensus): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.27 – NFL.com (Mike Mayock): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.27 – Rookie Draft: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.27 – Scar Draft (Scott Carasik): Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
4.27 – Scout.com: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.27 – SI.com (Don Banks): Jon Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
4.27 – Walter Football (Greg Cox): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.27 – Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
4.26 – Draft Season (Lupagus): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.26 – Draft King: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.26 – FF Toolbox (Welser): Justin Houston, DE, Georgia
4.26 – FF Toolbox (Dimon): Justin Houston, DE, Georgia
4.26 – FOX Sports (Pete Schrager): Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
4.25 – CBS Sports (Rob Rang): Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
4.25 – Draft Maven (Mike): Justin Houston, DE, Georgia
4.25 – Draft Daddy: Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
4.25 – FOX Sports (Adam Caplan): Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
4.25 – FF Toolbox (De Lima): Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona
4.25 – NFL.com (Steve Wyche): Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
4.24 – NFL.com (Pat Kirwan): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4.22 – Draft Ace (Matt Peterson): Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Read more…

I have minimal confidence in this mock, mainly because of the lack of free agency due to the lockout. Probably half of these teams, had there been free agent signings the past six weeks, would have addressed these areas of need that they are now being projected to use their top picks on.

And with the lockout “ending” in the past 48 hours, we don’t know if this is going to have any impact on how teams approach the draft. More than likely, not enough time has passed or questions answered to really affect it too much.

I do think trades are going to make this first round, particularly the latter half of it, pretty inaccurate. I think there will probably be at least two teams trading back into the end of the first round to get one of their quarterbacks, as I predicted previously my first round mock with trades. It’s possible that some of the teams in the top half of the draft get trigger happy (e.g. Tennessee, Minnesota, Miami, etc.) and take a quarterback there, but it seems doubtful given all the questions surrounding most of these QB prospects. But here goes…

1. Carolina Panthers – QB Cam Newton, Auburn
2. Denver Broncos – DT Marcell Dareus, Alabama
3. Buffalo Bills – OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
4. Cincinnati Bengals – WR A.J. Green, Georgia
5. Arizona Cardinals – CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
6. Cleveland Browns – WR Julio Jones, Alabama
7. San Francisco 49ers – QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
8. Tennessee Titans – DT Nick Fairley, Auburn
9. Dallas Cowboys – OT Tyron Smith, USC
10. Washington Redskins – OLB Robert Quinn, North Carolina
11. Houston Texans – CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
12. Minnesota Vikings – OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
13. Detroit Lions – DE Aldon Smith, Missouri
14. St. Louis Rams – DT Corey Liuget, Illinois
15. Miami Dolphins – DE Cameron Jordan, California
16. Jacksonville Jaguars – DE Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
17. New England Patriots – DE J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
18. San Diego Chargers – OLB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
19. New York Giants – OG Mike Pouncey, Florida
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DE Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson
21. Kansas City Chiefs – OLB Brooks Reed, Arizona
22. Indianapolis Colts – OT Nate Solder, Colorado
23. Philadelphia Eagles – CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado
24. New Orleans Saints – RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
25. Seattle Seahawks – OT Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
26. Baltimore Ravens – DE Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple
27. Atlanta Falcons – DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
28. New England Patriots – OG Danny Watkins, Baylor
29. Chicago Bears – OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
30. New York Jets – OLB Justin Houston, Georgia
31. Pittsburgh Steelers – CB Aaron Williams, Texas
32. Green Bay Packers – DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio State

RB Kendall Hunter

The third of the draft consists of rounds four through seven. Ideally, when this portion of the draft rolls around you’ll find guys that you labeled as second and third round targets still available on the board. They will take precedent over any of the players listed here. But this is typically the day of the draft where teams are no longer targeting talent, but trying to fill specific holes and weak spots on the roster and depth chart.

You can click to read the first round and second/third round targets. As before, these are based off my own grades and rankings of players. Click on their names to read scouting reports of each prospect.

FOURTH ROUND

In the fourth round, you are trying to border on the guys that still have starting potential, but also can provide immediately depth. With the guys that have starting potential, you don’t feel like there is a strong possibility they will achieve it. But even if they fall short, you feel like they can add good value as backups and role players. These are the types of players that if they become starters for you, more than likely it will come in their third or fourth years. They have long-term developmental potential, but in the immediate future you’re just looking for guys that can bolster depth.

CREAM OF THE CROP

67. OG Stephen Schilling, Michigan
68. WR Austin Pettis, Boise State
69. LB Mark Herzlich, Boston College
70. WR Tandon Doss, Indiana

Read more…

DE Adrian Clayborn

Day Two of the draft now consists of the second and third rounds. Here I will be discussing which players the Falcons should be targeting in those rounds. If you missed it, you can click here to see my rankings of the Falcons first round prospects and targets. These consist of my own rankings of players, and is not to be regarded as an indicator of where these players will go. Some of these players may be drafted in the first round, while others may slip in the draft and potentially last into the fourth or even fifth rounds. If that is the case, then you may find very good value in the middle portion of the draft.

With second round picks, you want to find a player that can come in and immediately contribute. Now in some cases that may be a player that is a quality reserve. In others, it may be as a starter. But all of these players should project to be starters for you by the end of their second season, and should project to becoming very good, albeit probably not great ones. Second round picks tend to have some flaws that prevent them from being big-time impact players. Perhaps they aren’t premium athletes or have some character concerns.

CREAM OF THE CROP
One of these players is ideal for drafting with the team’s No. 59 overall pick at the end of the second round. Ideally, one of the players in your Top 28 will fall to you there. But if not, you’d be very happy taking one of these players with that pick.

29. S Rahim Moore, UCLA
30. OC Rodney Hudson, Florida State
31. TE D.J. Williams, Arkansas
32. DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
33. WR Jon Baldwin, Pittsburgh
34. OG Ben Ijalana, Villanova
35. OT Derek Sherrod, MIssissippi State
36. CB JImmy Smith, Colorado
37. OG Danny Watkins, Baylor

Read more…

Patrick Peterson: No. 1 on the board

It’s time to look at the top prospects who should be at or near the top of the Falcons draft board. This is looking at guys that the Falcons should potentially be targeting at the top of the draft. Twenty eight players here are listed and it’s a definite that one of them will be available when the Falcons pick at No. 27. But in truth, you’re hoping that someone in your Top 15-20 will be there for you to draft rather than “settling” for someone that is near the end of your list.

These are based off my own rankings and grading of players. Each player is linked to their scouting report page in the forums.

ELITE PROSPECTS

These are the cream of the crop players because they are the best in the draft as far as your needs are concerned. If you had the ammunition to trade up in the draft, these would be the guys you would target. You normally are of the mind to never give up next year’s No. 1 pick, but one of these players is potentially worth it. These are the sort of players that form the foundation of your team for over a decade.

1. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
2. Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
3. Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
4. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
5. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M

TOP PROSPECTS

These players aren’t quite elite because they have some risk to them. But they have a high upside to be very good players on your team and should definitely fill needs. If one of these players drops in the draft, you’d be willing to move up some to get them. But you certainly wouldn’t mortgage the future to do so.

6. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
7. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
8. Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
9. Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

UPPER LEVEL PROSPECTS

Quality prospects that can be immediate impact players and should become one of your signature players in the years to come. When people are rattling off the Top 5 players on the Falcons a few years from now, you’re confident they will list one of these players.

10. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
11. Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
12. Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
13. Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue

Read more…