Bright Future, going to be a good Draft

[lpsevier]

With the departure of Brooking and Boley, anyone have any thoughts on us trying to move up in the draft to draft Ray M?

I'd be thrilled with Cushing or Matthews however.

[HMFFL]

I'm seeing some mocks out there that have us selecting Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest) with the 24th picks.

[lpsevier]

Me too, but I think I would rather have one of the USC lb's.

[HMFFL]

Me too, but I think I would rather have one of the USC lb's.

Looks like the Steelers want Alphonso Smith as well.

I was thinking about the USC LB's yesterday and how I prefer to go with one of them. I feel the impact could potentially be greater.

[HMFFL]

The Falcons’ picks for the April 25-26 draft are as follows:

• Round 1: 24th of round, 24th overall

• Round 2: 23rd of round, 55th overall

• Round 3: 26th of round, 90th overall

• Round 4: 25th of round

• Round 5: 7th (from Oakland) and 24th of round

• Round 6: 23rd of round

• Round 7: None. Traded to Denver

http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/spor ... draft.html

[lpsevier]

May be we can package a 5th and our 2nd to move up and draft Lauranitis if he falls into the second.

[Harry10]

last year, everybody thought that Dimitroff and Smith were going to get Dorsey after signing certain free agents and letting other go, but then surpised everybody and got Ryan.

everybody is trying to predict what Dimitroff is going to do, and i think he will end up doing the samething and end up surpising everybody again.

[HMFFL]

Harry, what do you think about Andre Smith?

Andre Smith's draft free fall continues



http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdo ... nfl,147436

Interesting situation that's going on here, but I feel he's worth the risk, but not with our first round pick. The problem is he can be fat all he wants to be and he's still going to be a first round picks. So many scouts are very upset after making the trip to see him yesterday. He's acting as if he wants to stay close to home and like he doesn't care about the money.

[lpsevier]

We take him no questions asked if he is there when we pick in the 1st.

[Harry10]

if Andre Smith falls to #24, it could be a huge steal for the Falcons. Smith has some concerns, but nobody would critize the Falcons on taking Smith at #24.

Jason Smith, Monroe, and Oher are good but Andre is my favorite, because of all the guys in the draft, he is the best at getting push (just like Willie Roaf and Ogden). Jason, Monroe, and Oher are good because they are athletic and can move in space, but i want my OL to move the line for Michael Turner.

if Andre falls to #24, then you just have to take him, but i don't think the Falcons will be that lucky.

i wouldn't worry about going LB in the first round, because i want Dannell Ellerbe in the second round.

i would also want to give some attention to Ron Brace

[HMFFL]

^

Yeah, I doubt Andre Smith falls to us, but will see what happens. I'm seeing mocks that have him still going within the top 15.

[HMFFL]

D. Orlando Ledbetter conducts his mock draft and has the Falcons selecting Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English in the first round.



http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-bl ... ock-draft/

[Harry10]

MOCK DRAFT PROJECTIONS

newnfldraft.com
24. Atlanta Falcons: Louis Delmas, FS, W. Mich

STILL AVAILABLE:
Vontae Davis, CB, ILL
Clay Mathews, OLB, USC
Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Ok. St.

nflmockdraftaces.com
24. Atlanta Falcons: Clay Matthews OLB - USC

STILL AVAILABLE:
Aaron Maybin OLB - Penn State
Percy Harvin WR/RB - Florida
Hakeem Nicks WR - North Carolina

draftcountdown.com
24. Atlanta Falcons: Larry English, DE-OLB, Northern Illinois

STILL AVAILABLE:
CLAY MATTHEWS, OLB, USC
VONTAE DAVIS, CB, ILLINOIS
HAKEEM NICKS, WR, NORTH CAROLINA
D.J. MOORE, CB, VANDERBILT
ALPHONSO SMITH, CB, WAKE FOREST

Mel Kiper's Mock
24. Atlanta Falcons: Larry English, DE-OLB, Northern Illinois


most seem to think that the Falcons are going Defense in the first round. i wouldn't be surpise if Dimitroff shocks people again and goes Offence and maybe selects a guy like Percy Harvin, but what i like about being in the bottom of the first round, is to select the guys who has slipped in the draft. Maybe a top 15 talent like a OL, or DB, or LB might be available at the 24th spot.

[HMFFL]

Smith intrigued by USC linebackers

Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga are being projected to go early in the first round. Clay Matthews Jr., who’s father played for the Falcons, and Kaluka Maiava will be available at 24. Maiava is not generally considered a first round pick and could be taken later in the draft.

“They are very impressive,” Smith said. “There are four guys that are definitely going to have an opportunity to play in the NFL. It’s been well documented that there are going to be some guys that get drafted very early.”

Smith seems some similarities in the group of USC linebackers.

“I think there is one common theme that these guys have and that’s they enjoy playing the game of football,” Smith said. “That’s very obvious when you watch those guys on tape. They play with a lot of intensity. They play with a lot of passion. They have different sizes. They run differently, but the one thing that they do is that they play, very, very hard.”

http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-bl ... nebackers/

[HMFFL]

Rey Maualuga (USC) will visit us Saturday.

University of Southern California linebacker Rey Maualuga, who is projected in some mock drafts as a top 10 pick, will visit the Falcons on Saturday, according to his agent Gary Uberstine.

The Falcons are the process of revamping their linebacking corps after starters Michael Boley (New York Giants) and Keith Brooking (Dallas) signed with new teams during free agency. The signed linebacker Michael Peterson in free agency.

Falcons coach Mike Smith told the AJC at the NFL owners’ meeting in Dana Point, Calif. that he was impressed with all four of the USC linebackers in this draft. http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/spor ... r_usc.html

[lpsevier]

It is being rumored that Cushing and Matthews tested positive for steroids at the combine.

Maybe both will fall to us now!

[HMFFL]

It is being rumored that Cushing and Matthews tested positive for steroids at the combine.

Maybe both will fall to us now!

I didn't even hear about this, so I looked it up. Take this for what it's worth.

Posting on the official USC football blog, Carroll was emphatic in shooting down the report.

“These rumors are absolutely false,” said Carroll, adding that the NFL testing service informed him that both players didn’t test positive. “If they were found positive, Clay and Cush would have been notified three weeks ago, which they weren’t, and all of the NFL teams would have been notified too, which they weren’t.

“They’re both men of outstanding character and they never tested positive for anything here. This is an [sic] major example of irresponsible reporting, and the site that published this report should be ashamed of themselves.” http://www.collegefootballtalk.com/2009 ... id-rumors/

[HMFFL]

Six USC Trojans to work out for Falcons

The Falcons are going to Los Angeles to work out six USC Trojans on Saturday.

Team officials will conduct a workout with linebackers Rey Maualuga, Clay Matthews Jr., Brian Cushing and Kaluka Maiava, defensive tackle Fili Moala and cornerback Cary Harris.
http://www.ajc.com/falcons/content/spor ... s_usc.html

[HMFFL]

Oklahoma guard Duke Robinson has scheduled a pre-draft visit with the Falcons

6-foot-5, 329 pounds, was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and a two-time All-American. Most Internet predictions have the massive player that ran the 40-yard dash in 5.32 seconds at the Combine going off the board in the second or third round. http://life.atlantafalcons.com/index.ph ... entry=1056

[TMU]

So, Peria Jerry DT from Ole Miss.
Good pick imo. He's a good pass rusher and a run stopper.