Breaking Down the Draft: Atlanta Falcons

Day two takes us inside the draft of the Atlanta Falcons . Check back again today for a look at the Baltimore Ravens draft.

Pick 3: QB Matt Ryan, Boston College (Scouting Report)
Scout It: Ryan will be called upon to fill the role of franchise quarterback early in his career. Mike Smith and Mike Mularkey have not let it be known what their offense will look like, but judging from past team’s they will rely heavily on the run and a timing-based passing attack. I would expect to see Ryan play primarily under center in Ace back sets with two tight ends. Ryan does not have an overly strong arm, so expect a lot of crossing routes and intermediate passes as he becomes used to the speed of the NFL.
Pick 21: OT Sam Baker, USC (Scouting Report )
Scout It: Baker will be thrown in early on as the team’s left tackle. Baker is a more accomplished pass blocker at this point in his development, which will fit what the young Falcons will need to do in order to win football games. Baker has a very quick out-step, but short arms. He must rely heavily on his footwork to position himself correctly.
Pick 37: LB Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma (Scouting Report )
Scout It: Mike Smith will use an aggressive defense which is based around pressuring the quarterback. Lofton will fit in nicely in the Cover 2 defense employed by Smith. He has experience playing the MIKE and WILL linebacker in Oklahoma’s scheme, with the athleticism to get deep into coverage. Lofton looks like the eventual replacement for Keith Brooking at inside linebacker.
Pick 68: CB Chevis Jackson, LSU
Scout It: Another Cover 2 style player. Jackson was introduced to the scheme by Nick Saban, a person many consider one of the foremost experts on the defense. Jackson is big enough to pressure receivers off the line of scrimmage and has the vision to excel in a zone. Jackson is also a good tackler, which will serve him well on special teams as a rookie.
Pick 84: WR Harry Douglas, Louisville (Scouting Report )
Scout It: Atlanta badly needed a slot receiver to come in an take pressure off Roddy White and the aging Joe Horn. Douglas is a small receiver, but works best coming in and out of cuts. He’s a solid possession guy who will benefit from the intermediate routes used by Mularkey and co.
Pick 98: S Thomas DeCoud, California (Scouting Report )
Scout It: DeCoud is a true centerfielder, a player who will do well getting depth in a two-deep defense. He’s not overly fast or strong, but makes his money coming up to support the run and by showing great instincts in coverage. He has a chance to play early in his career with the talent ahead of him in Atlanta being marginal.
Pick 138: LB Robert James, Arizona State
Scout It: James could move back to strong safety, his natural position before going to ASU. He’s undersized to play anything other than weakside linebacker on passing downs at this point. Think Cato June without the toughness.
Pick 154: LB Kroy Bierman, Montana
Scout It: A former linebacker who will move to defensive end for Atlanta. The Falcons should become a traditional 4-3 team under Mike Smith, with their weakside end in a six-technique. Bierman will slide out to a wide end in third-down situations as a pass rusher. He also will be a hard-nosed special teams player.
Pick 172: RB Thomas Brown, Georgia
Scout It: A scat back who will likely fill a third-down role. We saw Mularkey bring in Lorenzo Booker while with Miami, and this is a similar pick. Brown has been injured a lot, but he will not be asked to carry the load in Atlanta. He’s a dependable receiver and a surprisingly good red-zone runner.
Pick 212: CB Wilrey Fontenot, Arizona
Scout It: Undersized, but fundamentally strong. Very smooth back pedal and fluid hips. Will be able to turn and run with receivers, most likely a nickel or dime player.

Pick 232: TE Keith Zinger, LSU
Scout It: Offensive cooradinator Mike Mularkey has much experience as a tight ends coach and will lean heavily on the position in his offense. The team will use a conventional set frequently, but also likes the two-tight end set.