It’s not often that a cornerback that registered 13 interceptions as a sophomore and 18 in two years falls to the second round of the NFL Draft, and the Atlanta Falcons are poised to capitalize on that rarity in our mock draft.
2013 NFL mock draft: David Amerson to Atlanta Falcons
In need of a cornerback, the Falcons snag one of the draft’s late risers at the position.
Rob Kinnan-US PRESSWIRE
| Team | Player | Position | Height | Weight | Class |
| 60. Atlanta Falcons | David Amerson, North Carolina State | CB | 6'1" | 205 | JR |
| Dave Choate: "The Falcons have locked down a pass rusher to improve an annual need. Now they’re filling a sizeable hole at cornerback and getting arguably one of the best players available. "Amerson has the size, speed and ball skills to be a major pest for opposing cornerbacks, and he’s a nice fit opposite a similarly opportunistic Asante Samuel. The major concern here is fluidity in and out of breaks and whether he’ll ultimately fit better at safety, but I think with the right coaching staff and situation, Amerson will thrive as a corner. All the tools are there, the Falcons have a quality secondary to help him learn on the job and Amerson is a bright kid. "Khaseem Greene was powerfully tempting, and I could see the Falcons grabbing him if he’s still on the board at this point. Ultimately, Amerson offers a ton of upside, should be able to step in as a starter right away and fills a position of need for the team, so I couldn’t pass him up." |  | ||||
Here’s our own Dan Kadar to break down the pick:
The Falcons would be in trouble if they go through the first two rounds of the draft this year without taking a cornerback. Asante Samuel is still holding up nicely, but the Falcons have little more than just depth players otherwise. Much like we saw the Patriots double up on wide receivers in this mock draft, we could see Atlanta take two corners in the draft this year. Amerson would be a nice addition. Across Samuel, he would be the corner tasked with handling bigger receivers. Because of that, his mobility issues would be negated some. Amerson struggled last season because he tried to bite on too many interceptions. If he plays a simpler game in the secondary, he could again look like the player he did in 2011. Don’t forget, entering last season, he was widely regarded as a possible top-10 pick.
| # | Player | Pos. | College | Ht. | Wt. |
| 37 | John Jenkins | DT | Georgia | 6'4" | 346 |
| 39 | Jamie Collins | LB | Southern Miss | 6'3" | 250 |
| 40 | Gavin Escobar * | TE | San Diego State | 6'6" | 254 |
| 43 | Khaseem Greene | LB | Rutgers | 6'1" | 241 |
| 51 | Justin Hunter * | WR | Tennessee | 6'4" | 196 |
Falcons picks
| Rd | # | Team | Player | Pos. | College |
| 1 | 30 | Atlanta Falcons | Cornellius Carradine | DE | Florida State |
| 2 | 60 | Atlanta Falcons | David Amerson | CB | North Carolina State |
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