When the Atlanta Falcons released veteran pass rusher John Abraham this off-season, it became clear that the team was planning on making a move - or moves - to bolster the position. One has already occurred; Osi Umenyiora was signed to a two-year contract. Might another move occur in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft?
2013 NFL mock draft: Cornellius Carradine to Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons may add more than just Osi Umenyiora to the pass rush this off-season.
Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE
| Team | Player | Position | Height | Weight | Class |
| 30. Atlanta Falcons | Cornellius Carradine, Florida State | DE | 6'4" | 276 | SR |
| Dave Choate: "The Atlanta Falcons are a team in transition on defense. Since the the middle of the 2012 season, they’ve shed defensive ends John Abraham, Ray Edwards and Lawrence Sidbury, and added only Osi Umenyiora. "It’s time for the defense to get young, and Carradine could be a building block. An intriguing mix of size, skill and general pass-rushing acumen, Carradine seems to be recuperating nicely from his injury and would qualify as a steal at 30. He would push for starter’s snaps at defensive end right away and give the Falcons a formidable rotation with Osi, jack-of-all-trades Kroy Biermann and promising second year end Jonathan Massaquoi. In a year or two under Mike Nolan, Carradine could be and should be better than any of them, and I believe he has potential to be a borderline dominant NFL defensive end. "I could absolutely see the Falcons making a run at a cornerback or even a linebacker here, but Arthur Brown and Desmond Trufant are gone and Carradine is too tempting to pass up, even if Johnathan Banks is still on the board." |  | ||||
Here’s our own Dan Kadar to break down the pick:
If Carradine were the pick, the Falcons may not have to wait that year or two for him to be the team’s best defensive end. As a pass rusher, is explosive and powerful. He has just about all the traits you look for in a top end prospect. He drops only because of concerns about his knee and his experience. Carradine played just two seasons at Florida State following junior college and was a backup until Brandon Jenkins got injured. He had 80 tackles and 11 sacks at FSU last season and often overshadowed the more highly regarded Bjoern Werner. To get him at 30 would be a steal.
That wraps up today's picks; the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens will round off Round 1 tomorrow. Until then, comrades.
| # | Player | Pos. | College | Ht. | Wt. |
| 22 | Damontre Moore | OLB | Texas A&M | 6'5" | 250 |
| 27 | Barrett Jones | C | Alabama | 6'4" | 305 |
| 29 | Manti Te'o | LB | Notre Dame | 6'1" | 241 |
| 30 | Jesse Williams | DT | Alabama | 6'3" | 323 |
| 32 | Khaseem Greene | LB | Rutgers | 6'1" | 241 |
| No. | Team | Player | Pos. | College |
| 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | Luke Joeckel | OT | Texas A&M |
| 2 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Geno Smith | QB | West Virginia |
| 3 | Oakland Raiders | Sharrif Floyd | DT | Florida |
| 4 | Philadelphia Eagles | Eric Fisher | OT | Central Michigan |
| 5 | Detroit Lions | Ezekiel Ansah | DE | BYU |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | Dion Jordan | OLB | Oregon |
| 7 | Arizona Cardinals | Barkevious Mingo | OLB | LSU |
| 8 | Buffalo Bills | Jarvis Jones | OLB | Georgia |
| 9 | New York Jets | Chance Warmack | OG | Alabama |
| 10 | Tennessee Titans | Dee Milliner | CB | Alabama |
| 11 | San Diego Chargers | Star Lotulelei | DT | Utah |
| 12 | Miami Dolphins | Desmond Trufant | CB | Washington |
| 13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Xavier Rhodes | CB | Florida State |
| 14 | Carolina Panthers | Lane Johnson | OT | Oklahoma |
| 15 | New Orleans Saints | Alec Ogletree | LB | Georgia |
| 16 | St. Louis Rams | Tavon Austin | WR | West Virginia |
| 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cordarrelle Patterson | WR | Tennessee |
| 18 | Dallas Cowboys | Jonathan Cooper | OG | North Carolina |
| 19 | New York Giants | Sheldon Richardson | DT | Missouri |
| 20 | Chicago Bears | Arthur Brown | LB | Kansas State |
| 21 | Cincinnati Bengals | Kenny Vaccaro | S | Texas |
| 22 | St. Louis Rams | Jonathan Cyprien | S | Florida International |
| 23 | Minnesota Vikings | Bjoern Werner | DE | Florida State |
| 24 | Indianapolis Colts | Datone Jones | DE | UCLA |
| 25 | Minnesota Vikings | Johnathan Hankins | DT | Ohio State |
| 26 | Green Bay Packers | Tyler Eifert | TE | Notre Dame |
| 27 | Houston Texans | DeAndre Hopkins | WR | Clemson |
| 28 | Denver Broncos | D.J. Fluker | OT | Alabama |
| 29 | New England Patriots | Keenan Allen | WR | California |
| 30 | Atlanta Falcons | Cornellius Carradine | DE | Florida State |
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