Mock draft 5.0: Falcons select Notre Dame TE Kyle Rudolph
Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph could be the heir-apparent to Tony Gonzalez at Tight End for the Falcons. (Associated Press)
BIRDLAND – Tony Gonzalez is not going to play forever.
This offseason he let the team know that he plans to return for the final year of his contract.
Loading ...Either way, the Falcons have to do something. They have to plan for the future. They have to get a tight end on board and they’ve been heavily scouting the position this offseason.
With the 27th pick, the Falcons will have a chance to address their needs at defensive end, tight end, cornerback and wide receiver.
But when Miami cornerback Brandon Harris is selected 26th by Baltimore, the Falcons will shift over to offense.
They could go with Ohio State defensive end Cameron Heyward or Georgia defensive end Justin Houston. But they know Miami defensive end Allen Bailey will still be available when they pick in the second around.
However, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll pick a wide receiver in the first round because there will be talented receivers in the second, third and fourth rounds. East Carolina wide receiver Dwayne Harris could be the team’s third round target.
Under this scenario, the Falcons will pull Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph’s name off their draft board in the first round.
Rudolph, who’s 6-foot-6 1/8 and 259 pounds, is widely considered the top tight end in the draft.
Some in Ohio want to check his decision-making for selecting Notre Dame over Ohio State. But he’s a Cincinnati kid and the Queen City is a longtime hotbed for Notre Dame, going back to the Gerry Faust days.
Now, Rudolph does have some health issues with his right hamstring. The Falcons will have that checked out.
Some other issues are starting to take shape as the draft gets closer.
Clemson defensive Da’Quan Bowers is slipping on most boards. He’ll likely fall out of the top 10 because teams are mixed on if he needs knee surgery. He’s dropping, but not far enough to get into the Falcons’ striking range.
LAST POLL RESULTS: Should the Falcons take Cameron Heyward if he slips to the 27th pick in the draft?
- Yes, Cam is a stud (47%, 489 Votes)
- Maybe, if he’s a scheme fit (24%, 250 Votes)
- Trade out of the first round and amass picks (19%, 195 Votes)
- No, they should pick offense. (10%, 104 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,038
PROJECTED 2011 ATLANTA FALCONS DRAFT PICKS
Miami linebacker Marcus Robinson (56) and defensive lineman Allen Bailey (57) bring down Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon in the second half. (By J. Pat Carter -- Associated Press)
First Round: 27 – Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
Second Round: 59 – Allen Bailey, DE, Miami
Third Round: 91 – Dwayne Harris, WR, East Carolina
Fourth Round: 124 – Akeem Dent, LB, Georgia
Fifth Round: 158 – Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville
Sixth Round: 192 – Pat Devlin, QB, Delaware
Seventh Round: 209 – Ricardo Lockette, WR, Fort Valley State. 228 – D.J. Smith, LB, Appalachian State. 229 – Byron Maxwell, CB, Clemson.
AJC’s 2011 Mockiavelli 5.0
Staff writer D. Orlando Ledbetter projects the first round
- Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton (2) throws a pass as Chattanooga’s La’Nard Carr (96) moves in during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
1. Carolina: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn. The Panthers arrive at the conclusion that Jimmy Clausen is not their future franchise quarterback.
2. Denver: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama. He’s a prototype defensive tackle. He should anchor the interior of the Broncos’ defense for years to come.
3. Buffalo: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M. After whiffing on Aaron Maybin with the 11th pick in 2009, Chan Gailey gets a legitimate defender. They will be tempted to go with Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert, but will elect to get one of the developmental quarterbacks in the second round.
4. Cincinnati: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia. They can put and end to the T.O. and Chad Johnson madness. Perhaps this pick will be enough to encourage Carson Palmer out of selling his house.
5. Arizona: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri. Coach Ken Whisenhunt gets him a quarterback for an early Christmas present.
- Alabama’s Julio Jones (8) makes a catch for a touchdown as Georgia’s Bryan Evans defends during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Athens, Ga., Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
6. Cleveland: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama. The Browns have to surround quarterback Colt McCoy with some weapons.
7. San Francisco: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU. He could take over as the 49ers’ press cornerback.
8. Tennessee: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn. Friend of the blog Tracy Rocker is Tennessee’s new defensive line coach. He coached Fairley at Auburn.
9. Dallas: Tyron Smith, T, Southern California. I think this is a reach for the Cowboys, by my folks in Dallas say this is how the Cowboys are leaning. He would help a line that must improve.
10. Washington: Cam Jordan, DE, California. Steve Jordan, his father, was a six-time Pro Bowler at tight end for the Vikings. He benefits from Bowers slipping.
11. Houston: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska. The Texans have to do something with their secondary.
12. Minnesota: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas: The Vikings have to make a move at quarterback and they decide to roll
- Arkansas’ Ryan Mallet could be headed to the Minnesota Vikings. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
the dice on Mallett’s big arm. Former Falcons quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave might be the perfect person to handle this free spirit.
13. Detroit: Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson. The Lions decide to get some value. Once considered the top pick in the draft, Bowers’ stock is sliding because of a knee injury and poor Pro Day performance.
14. St. Louis: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri. Smith could develop into a force in head coach Steve Spagnuolo’s system.
15. Miami: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama: The Dolphins look to improve their rushing attack. Ricky Williams isn’t getting any younger and Ronnie Brown will need some help.
- FILE – This Nov. 7, 2009, file photo shows Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis (9) being sacked by North Carolina’s Robert Quinn (42), left, and Zach Brown (47) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., The NCAA declared defensive end Robert Quinn permanently ineligible, the team said Monday, Oct. 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
16. Jacksonville: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina. The Jaguars picked up Tyson Aluau last season and get a bookend for their 4-3 defense.
17. New England: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College. The Patriots elect to get some protection for Tom Brady, who’s not getting any younger.
18. San Diego: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin. The former Badger who spent time in the programs at Western Michigan and Minnesota gets the best break in the draft. He gets to start his career in sunny San Diego after bumping around the upper Midwest and its bitter winters for the last few years.
19. New York Giants: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado. The Giants elect to bring in some offensive line help.
20. Tampa Bay: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue. The Bucs drafted defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price last season. This year they try to get some help at defensive end.
21. Kansas City: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin. Projects as a right tackle in the NFL. He played left tackle for the Badgers. He claimed at the combine that he was the best tackle in the draft.
- Gabe Carimi holding Paul Bunyan’s axe after the Badgers beat Minnesota in 2009.
22. Indianapolis: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois. The Colts elect to get a disruptive force for the middle of their defense. He was a wrestler in high school.
23. Philadelphia: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado. He is rugged with his hands in press coverage. He is a tall corner at 6-2 3/8. He has some character issues, but the Eagles believe he could flourish in the right environment.
24. New Orleans: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa. “Clayborn’s stock has dropped to a certain extent because of that arm situation,” ESPN draft analyst Kiper said. “He’s dropped to the late first round.”
25. Seattle: Jake Locker, QB, Washington. He will get a chance to sit and watch Matt Hasselbeck for a year or two. Locker is athletic, but needs to work on his accuracy.
- Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech. (Associated Press)
26. Baltimore: Brandon Harris, CB, Miami. He was a three-year starter for the Hurricanes. The Falcons held a private workout for him in Miami.
27. Atlanta: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame. The Falcons elect to get Matt Ryan some help for the future. If the lockout ends and Tony Gonzalez comes back, then Rudolph can learn under the future hall of famer.
28. New England: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State. He’s a perfect scheme-fit for the Patriots 3-4.
29. Chicago: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State. The Bears look to improve their offensive line play with this pick. Sherrod is athletic and could anchor the left side for the next decade.
30. New York Jets: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia. The Jets are counting on Houston developing into a big-play artist.
31. Pittsburgh: Mike Pouncey, C, Florida. The twins get reunited in the Steel City.
32. Green Bay: Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech. He’s a hard-charging runner, who’ll fit in the offense nicely.
ON THE FRINGE
- Pittsburgh wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, right, makes a catch for a first down over Notre Dame cornerback Darrin Walls in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Pittsburgh, on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. Pittsburgh won 27-22. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona
Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor
Akeem Ayers , LB, UCLA
Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple
Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois
Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor
Martez Wilson, LB, Illinois
Rahim Moore, S, UCLA
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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150 comments Add your comment
snoopy
April 15th, 2011
12:02 pm
DOL is FOS… The Birds will NEED M Pouncy (if he’s still on the board)…
Like I have stated earlier in mock’s 1 – 5, these guys will have 12 – 15 mock drafts & if they hit on a player, they’ll proudly thump their chest that “I had him slated in that slot”.. When actually they “might” have but it’s in only one of the 12 – 15 mock draft’s…
Falcons NEED DL or OL at the top o their draft… Not a TE…
Mock draft 5.0: Falcons select Notre Dame TE Kyle Rudolph … | Orlando
April 15th, 2011
12:09 pm
[...] the original post: Mock draft 5.0: Falcons select Notre Dame TE Kyle Rudolph … This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged falcons, nicely–, not-going, notre-dame, [...]
Dawgustus
April 15th, 2011
12:25 pm
Atlanta should trade down with Buffalo, getting Buffalo’s 2nd and 3rd round picks. Buffalo ensures it gets its QB and Rudolph will still be there for the Falcons 8 picks later, with an early 3rd round bonus pick.
nash
April 15th, 2011
12:27 pm
pretty good board but there are no o line men on it come on. COME ON
Matt
April 15th, 2011
12:33 pm
Sometimes I wonder if the AJC sports section does any research or if they just choose a name out of a hat. Kyle Randolph is not a first round selection and there will be plenty of other players that are better and fit the teams needs more.
PMC
April 15th, 2011
12:52 pm
Snoopy, they can’t take an offensive guard in the first round not when they can’t rush the passer. Mike Pouncey is a guard. He’ll be a really good guard, but it doesn’t warrant a first round pick. If they go offensive line that early, it will be left tackle.
If they want a center they can go with either Ben Gordon from FSU or Stephan Weisnewski from Penn State.
PMC
April 15th, 2011
12:54 pm
It’s kind of amazing with the amount of dire needs this team has….they are picking at 27. Testament to the coaching staff.
PMC
April 15th, 2011
12:55 pm
Not that Mike Pouncey isn’t a first round talent for a team that can afford to take a guard (IE a team that can already rush the passer) I just don’t think Atlanta can afford it.
Bill Lewis
April 15th, 2011
12:58 pm
Not drafting Georgia players has hurt the Falcons with the fan base! Hines Ward and a slew of others would have put fans in the seats regardless of records!
coleski
April 15th, 2011
1:01 pm
How about one of the tight ends with a basketball background? Did’nt Gonzales have a basketball
experience? So that would seem to be a consideration when selecting a tight end. Jordan Cameron
and Julius Thomas have basketball backgrounds. Also I saw Schuylar Oordt in a playoff game and
he made several good catches. I’m with alot of the guys that want defense oin the early rounds.
UGAJD
April 15th, 2011
1:02 pm
Can’t imagine the Falcons picking a TE in the 1st round. We have other positions of IMMEDIATE need. Almost every mock draft I’ve seen has ATL picking someone different in the first. The fact is, at this point, no one knows who the Falcons will pick, not even the Falcons, and all of these analysts are simply writing fiction.
ctfalconsfan
April 15th, 2011
1:44 pm
UGAJD agree completely. WE HAVE IMMEDIATE NEEDS and TE isn’t one of them!!
Hey DOL when is the regular season schedule coming out?
ctfalconsfan
April 15th, 2011
1:49 pm
Birdman wrote:
From the GB game its clear we need to learn how to tackle the qb. We were in the backfield all night, running like kamikazes that meant a sidestep or simply ducking left that player out of position. Which meant Rodgers had all day to throw and he was on top of his game. So the D, while needy for sure, is not as bad as we saw.
———————————-
Birdman I would state that BVG had the right defensive play called in both the GB and home aints games but our safeties could make the plays. So I would conclude that our talent at the safety position needs to be revamped. Would a Troy Polumalu (sp??) miss all those QB sacks?
I dont’t blame BVG you have to blame TD for night having play makers out there…
explosion
April 15th, 2011
2:10 pm
GEORGIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOUTHERN!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCREW THE PANTHERS!!!!!!!
Also I think we should draft Clayborn or trade back
MaxxFalcon
April 15th, 2011
2:17 pm
If the Falcons draft a TE it will be Virgil Green in the mid rounds. Falcons are going DE in 1st rd
Birdman
April 15th, 2011
2:18 pm
CT…. Very true post….The plays were there for the making for sure, and I’d take Troy over our guys any day of the week on those plays. But my point was that we were not as bad as that GB game indicated, or else we would not have been 13-3. So I am in favor of defense at the top to get someone who makes those tackles. But its not like we need wholesale defensive remake. We need a starter at DE no doubt, some depth at linebacker and nickelback to stay competitive and progress. If we take an OT instead of DE it would not hurt my feelings, as keeping Ryan upright is more relative to our success in the future than shooting and missing for the next Lawrence Taylor. DE are hard to predict outside the top 2 or 3, but that could really be said for every position. So no need to get worked up if our choice is a TE or WR even though its obvious defense has some needs.
Birdman
April 15th, 2011
2:19 pm
having said that, we will not draft a TE in the first round, no way.
Joe Tess Fish House
April 15th, 2011
2:21 pm
Count on the Flacons 2 draft another fist round bust
Hoof Hearted?
April 15th, 2011
2:40 pm
I would rather take our chances and see if D.J. Williams (Arkansas) is still on the board with our 2nd round pick.
Sea Trout
April 15th, 2011
2:43 pm
There is talk that the Falcons are in position to receive offers from those teams that are looking for a QB. Rudolph may be a reach with the 27th in the first but not with an early 2nd round pick. With a trade the falcons could get Rudolph in the early second and pick up an extra pick.
Ron the man
April 15th, 2011
3:34 pm
In my humble opinion based on my limited knowledge of our existing players, and considering our most recent playoff experience with Green Bay, a quality nickel corner is our most pressing need. Until we get that position filled on our roster- we will see a lot of four and five receiver formations daring us to cover. I know the rush will help, but we must have a speedy,swivel hipped, coverage guy to fill that void. I say that should be #27 if he is available that low, if not then the best pass rusher available.
jack
April 15th, 2011
4:48 pm
Bailey can’t miss … as a complete dud.
Ron the man
April 15th, 2011
5:09 pm
The nickel corner I was talking about earlier is our first pick after we trade down. He has run in the 4.2s and started in his freshman year.
He was top dog cornerback in his conference for two years, and is local product. You probably know who upstaged the local competion for the falcons, and I will bet even money it was Buster Skrine “Screen”. We might be able to get him with an early two and still get our DE later with our original pick in the 2nd. What do you think D’Led?
JOshua alavenda
April 15th, 2011
6:18 pm
Enter your comments here
TommyP
April 15th, 2011
6:23 pm
I don’t get your logic with these mock drafts. Every week you are picking a new player. My God, by the time you are done, there’s no way you will not hit the Falcons 1st pick. Falcons will make selection and you’ll post the link where you mocked him to the Birds.
Your mock drafts are far too easy to mock.
Falcons won’t WASTE their 1st round pick on a TE. With DE and WR being such huge needs, why not wait ’til later and snag Virgil?
D. Orlando Ledbetter
April 15th, 2011
6:43 pm
EARLY EVENING POLL RESULTS: Should the Falcons take Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph?
* Yes, Rudolph is a stud (39%, 210 Votes)
* No, they should take Justin Houston (28%, 150 Votes)
* No, they should take Cam Heyward (23%, 125 Votes)
* No, they should take Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith (10%, 56 Votes)
Total Voters: 541
BirdFanscout
April 15th, 2011
6:45 pm
There is a big drop off in talent after the top third of the first round. At 27 we need to trade back with one of these teams that need a #27 pick player. With extra pick get our DE, WR, RB, OL and nickel CB.
I agree with one of the other posters, Sidbury played well when given the opportunity. Maybe TD believes in Sidbury too and hiding his real intentions which could be OL, WR, RB, LB as targets. We drafted a LB last year who suppose to be able to cover and blitz.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
April 15th, 2011
6:46 pm
TommyP — Go have a beer and then come back. It makes more sense that way.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
April 15th, 2011
6:48 pm
ctfalconsfan — Hearing that schedule will come out after the draft. (The league has been busy with some mediation or something like that. Something about a collective bargaining agreement/lockout).
Larry
April 15th, 2011
7:42 pm
Heyward turned his back on Atlanta and Georgia went he left here to go to Ohio State. We should turn our backs on him. He’s not even that good.
Ken Strickland
April 15th, 2011
8:19 pm
It’s amazing how some of our fans will come up with all sorts of excuses to put down a player whenever he’s one they don’t like. It’s like they think if we draft a TE in the 1st rd, we won’t be able to address any of our other needs in this draft.
Or, if a player has had an injury, they automatically say he’ll always have injuries. This is football, and injuries are a part of the gm, not an exception to the gm. As weak as our pass rush has been over the last 3-4yrs, where would we be without DE JAbraham?
After all, wasn’t he also considered an injury waiting to happen by a number of our fans, as well as most Jet fans? Even though he’s 38yr old, some of you act like TE TGonzalez is immune to injury, or won’t change his mind and retire before this season.
Drafting a starting quality TE, to backup and learn from TGonzalez in his final yr would be a solid move. If fact, the most recent Walters mock draft has us drafting Alabama’s RB Mark Ingram at #27. Their reasoning was based on MTurner showing signs of wearing down and being injury prone over the past 3yrs, very noticably down the stretch of last season.
Over the past 3yrs the Falcons, under TD and Smitty, have relied almost exclusively on the OFF for the bulk of our success. After focusing the last 2 drafts on DEF, I have a feeling we will focus primarily on repairing and improving our OFF. Defensively, all we really need to resolve most of our pass coverage/DEF issues is a designated pass rushing DE or LB to compliment DE JAbraham.
Falcons relax...
April 15th, 2011
9:36 pm
@ romedawg Your not only on that point. Biermann whiffed a lot of sacks. He could still produce in my opinion. IT WAS HIS FIRST YEAR STARTING. I know where your coming from
Reality Check
April 15th, 2011
10:30 pm
Remember when every Falcons fan was so happy about throwing away a 2nd round pick for Gonzo?
I know The Chiefs are happy.
Big Ray
April 15th, 2011
10:40 pm
If nothing else Crabapplejoe would be very happy to see this. Ecstatic in fact.
hiramsaint
April 16th, 2011
12:52 am
after waking up from a snooze that suddenly came over me halfway thru ken stricklands always over done monologue, i realize the falcants will draft the most likely player to be injured by week 3 !
nes
April 16th, 2011
6:52 am
YEA! Let”s draft TE Rudolf from Notre Dame! Anther first round pick with injury problems–hamstring issues led to knee issues and so on! that’s my quote. Draft LT Gabe Camini or LB Martez Wilson who can step right in for Peterson and is a three down linebacker! R.Cobb or Titus Young in the second round, TE or RB in the third round, no need to venture any further as it is a crap shoot after three rounds of who best positional player or the best player available scenario will unfold. TE Rudolf will fall to second round anyway, so trade down if that is what the Falcons want so bad.
TommyP
April 16th, 2011
7:52 am
Had that beer last night…and a few more. It convinced me that what I said initially was spot on.
Let’s see…April 16. 2 more mocks???? 2 more chances to get two more 1st picks to the Falcons. LOL
TE is not that tough a position to fill. I don’t see them throwing away a 1st rounder on TE when great needs exist at DE and WR. If an excellent OT falls to that spot, you take him over a TE.
If TE is where Dimitroff is leaning at #27, he’ll trade back for more picks.
crabapplejoe
April 16th, 2011
9:27 am
@Big Ray: Its simple….change his name to “Dontavius” Rudolph and everyone on here would be drooling all over him…talking about his “speed” and “athleticism” and begging the Falcons to draft him at #27…LMAO. Personally, I think #27 is a little high for Rudolph…but some team is going to get a stud playmaker, probably in the early second round.
Fan Of ATL
April 16th, 2011
11:19 am
Where is matt “choke” ryan at? Havent seen him on the blogs lately..I miss his post!! lmao
And does anybody know the other name he goes by on here???
Ken Strickland
April 16th, 2011
2:42 pm
AHIRAMANIT-Welcome back. I noticed how your posting all but stopped after we whipped your BELOVED AINTS in gm 3 and won the division. Now it appears that you, and all of your fellow delusional AINT lovers, are back in full force espousing the same of BS.
But I understand your situation, because it has finally become obvious to most of you that you have to deal in the present, and can’t continue reveling in the glory of your PAST Super Bowl win. The FALCONS are winners now, and all of you want to associate with winners, so you spend as much time as possible with us.
While all of you know the FALCONS are getting better yr by yr, even though you can’t bring yourselves to admit it, you’re also aware that your BELOVED AINTS are going in the opposite direction. It’s evidenced by the fact that none of you bother to mention a single thing your BELOVED AINTS have done to improve themselves. When a team chooses trades free agency as their methods of development, while the rise is often rapid, so is the fall.
So, based solely on the development of the draft picks on our current roster, even if we don’t add a single player to our roster, we’ll still prove to be better than YOUR BELOVED AINTS, and will win our division ONCE AGAIN. ISN’T REALITY A B!TCH HIRAMAINT?
Ken Strickland
April 16th, 2011
5:22 pm
NES-explain how drafting TE Rudolf in the 2nd rd, rather than the 1st, will resolve the injury issues you claim he’ll definitely have at the Pro level.
TOMMYP-we don’t need a DE that’s capable of starting immediately as much as we need one that can function as a rotational pass rushing specialist. After 3 off seasons, 3 training camps, and a yrs experience as a starter, how can you be certain that any DE we take at #27 will be more effective as an immediate starter than KBiermann?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you’re wrong, just that in this DE rich draft, a quality pass rushing DE will be easier to find withour #59 2nd rd pick, than a starting caliber TE in this TE poor draft. Like you, I wouldn’t have a problem with us drafting an OLineman with our 1st pick.
There are positions in every draft that are deeper in talent than other positions. That means a 2nd rd pick at one position can be as talented as a 1st rd pick at another position. There will definitely be a pass rushing DE available as low as rd 4. However, there won’t likely be any starting caliber receiving TE’s available to us at pick #59.
TE TGonzalez made it clear he’ll definitely retire after this yr, and that if a labor agreement isn’t reached soon, he might retire this summer. Those 2 situations automatically make TE a major priority for us, especially since TE has been our OFF’s, and MRyan’s, #2 receiving option.
Consider this, we’ve yet to find a consistent starter out of all the DEF players we’ve drafted in the 1st rd over the last 3 drafts. Yet 7 of our OFF/DEF starters, and 4 of last yrs Pro Bowlers, were either UFA’s or drafted below the 3rd rd. In fact, only 2 of our 1st rd picks, over the last 3 drafts, have become starters.
Joshua Malavenda
April 16th, 2011
5:24 pm
my falcons mock draft
1. brooks reed olb/de university of arizona hes got a non stop motor good leader and td type of player
2. Jabaal Sheard de pittsburgh we can use as much help as we can get rushing the quarterback and he would fit perfectly in the falcons defense roatational style
3.jerrel jerrgian troy state wr just the explosion we need on the offense and we take some of the weight off of roddy white
4. shane vereen cal rb – perfect player to take the weight of micheal turner and good hands also
5. Lawerence wilsion connecticutt olb would match perfectly with sean witherspoon
6 lee zimba ot auburn would match great with underated o line we all ready have and fits the lumberjack mold that td likes
7a Marcus Gilchrist, CB clemson – would fill the empty nickle corner sport and will be a beast at doing it
7b Julian thomas portland state te
would be a perfect replacement for tony gonzo in a couple years and if we get him in 7th round it would be a steal
trade redman for 3rd round this draft and 2nd round in next years draft 3
7c ricardo lockette fort valley state would add depth to our lackluster reciever core
3rd b drake nevis lsu dt; will be a beast and is a steal in the third rd
hiramsaint
April 16th, 2011
6:44 pm
het kenny- i remember the whoopin’ we put on your ‘cons, who were supposed to be invincible, in your own houseand then the WILDCARD 6 seed packers came in and emphasized the point again shortly thereafter. but anyway, the real bitch for falcant fans must be that the saints CAN revel in a super bowl win and the falcants can only remember getting blown out by an over the hill elway in the far distant past when you had a team that had a whiff of victory. you keep taliking how your getting better but all i see is 0-2 in the playoffs with smitty and matty melt at the helm. that sweet kenny is the true REALITY that you must live with!
lech112
April 16th, 2011
7:20 pm
This is a solid Mock Draft. I think Ruldoph will be around in the second round if the Falcons want to get him them. This draft is full of very good defensive lineman. The Falcons would be smart to grab one of those guys — http://bit.ly/NFLMockDraft5 — there will be some good guys who fall to them at #27.
blord
April 16th, 2011
8:52 pm
TE’s don’t win championships for a team. See Tony G. is the greatest TE ever to play the game and yet he hasn’t ever won a playoff game. No TE in the first round when there are so many other needs. I was where one mock had Mark Ingram being taken by the birds in the first. That is an interesting thing to consider. I doubt he will be there but it is something to think about since Turner slowed down at the end of the year.
Facethenation
April 16th, 2011
10:36 pm
Let’s see what Arizona does with the fifth pick. If they do not get their QB we should trade them the 27th pick for their 2nd, third and fifth picks. We can then pick up Randall Cobb, Allen Bailey, Virgil Green and Demarco Murray with these picks. In the fourth we take Akeem Dent. In the fifth we take Marcus Gilbert and Pat Devlin. Sixth we take Casey Matthews. The Seventh we take Clemson’s Gilchrist, UGA’s Clint Boling and Fort Valley’s WR Fechectto.
Game Manager
April 16th, 2011
10:55 pm
Draft a QB that can flick it!
Ken Strickland
April 17th, 2011
1:49 am
HIRAMAINT-Tell me, does it take a genius or an fool to critize the Falcons for losing at home to the eventual Super Bowl champions. When one considers your SORRY AINTS also lost at home, except they were royally and historically embarrassed by getting this asses whipped by one of the few teams to ever make the playoffs with a losing record.
To add insult to injury, your SORRY AINT DEF gave up 41pts and 415yds to a team that was ranked 28th in total yds, 22nd in scoring, 19th in passing, and 31st in rushing. I guess winning one Super Bowl makes you so delusional that you forget everything about your teams past and present.
WHEN YOU LIVE IN A GLASS HOUSE, YOU SHOULDN’T THROW STONES, AND YOUR GLASS HOUSE IS AS FRAGILE AS CRYSTAL.
Ken Strickland
April 17th, 2011
2:02 am
With the depth at DE in this yrs draft, especially ones with pass rushing skills, don’t be surprised if we don’t take one in the 1st rd. With the depth of WR in this yrs draft, and our need for a speed WR who’s primary responsibility will be to stretch the field, don’t be surprised if we don’t draft one in 1st rd.
hiramsaint
April 17th, 2011
3:22 am
well kenny MY boy , you just proved yourself to be the fool you asked about . our loss was away with a team riddled with injuries. your #1 seed failcons were the ones to get embarrassed at home by the # 6 seed wildcard packers who weren’t even supposed to be there! we lost to a divisional winner and as an injured wildcard team still managed 36 pts. tell me what the falcants did? in their own house with the majority of the nation watching the 13-3 team that cried all year about getting no respect, they proved why they got no respect. i live in a stone house, dearest kenny, and will continue to throw glass that cuts you like this because as the rest of the nation knew last year the falcants were posers trying to emulate the previous years world champs. can you say that? world champs. i knew you couldn’t!