Early 5 Round Mock

[Artys Arryn]

1st - Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

Expect to get used to hearing this kid's name for the next few months. He is extremely raw having only played football for 3 years, however this is our opportunity to land a premier pass rusher at the end of the 1st round. If we can resign Abraham for another year (should be relatively easy) it will give him a year to learn / rotate before taking over indefinitely.

2nd - Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky

A lot of mock drafts have us taking him and this spot and I agree completely. He should be a plug and play, allowing us to move Konz to Center and finally solidify the line for years to come ( I believe Holmes will replace Clabo in the coming years).

3rd - Mike Gillislee, RB, Florida

Will split carries with Quizz next season and would add that element of explosiveness out of the backfield. Like Quizz, he is also a good in blitz protection and will be an all around quality weapon to add to this team.

4th - Dan McCullers, DT, Tennessee

Man is a mountain in the trenches. He will provide us a good NT if we want to run any kind of 3-4 packages and will also be valuable on goal line situations. Still plenty of room to mature into a great value here.

5th Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

Wait. Just Stop. Tyrann Mathieu is an easy first round talent. I know he doesn't automatically pass the "filter" however I believe that Tyrann is far from a thug or locker room poison. I believe he is a kid who has made mistakes and will turn out to be a **** of a player in the NFL. This move is low risk and extremely high reward.

* I believe TE will be addressed through free agency.

[hjerry]

Abe doesn't need to be resigned, he's under contract for two more years

I don't know why everyone like McCullers so much, watch the tape, he's single teamed all the time b/c he's too big, can't get leveridge

The Falcons will never draft Mathieu for obvious reasons

other than that I like it

Edited December 20, 2012 by hjerry

[falcon90]

Abe doesn't need to be resigned, he's under contract for two more years

I don't know why everyone like McCullers so much, watch the tape, he's single teamed all the time b/c he's too big, can't get leveridge

The Falcons will never draft Mathieu for obvious reasons

other than that I like it

People like McCullers because he is really big. Leverage is the key in football though and because he is so tall it is easy to get under him. That's why you have short pass rushers like Dumervil and Harrison doing so well in the league because they get great leverage especially against taller tackles because they are so short.

[RYNE]

best mock draft I have seen. I would be thrilled with this. I hope to God we take a shot with the Honey Badger, Last year I was begging for us to take a shot on Vontez Burfict and everyone was against it. Look at him now he is a beast and leading the Bengals in tackles. TD.... DO NOT LET THIS STAR GO SOMEWHERE ELSE

[Zodiac]

The difference between Burfict and Mathieu is that Burfict actually had talent as a defensive player. Mathieu is small, bad in coverage, and over aggressive.

As for McCuller's he's a massive NT in the 4th with movement skills. Tall DTs have worked out in this league, see John Henderson and Marcus Stroud

[A-TowN.-]

Like the first 3 picks, only cause they are the same as mine though lol. Idk about the other two you picked though, I don't see them making an impact in the NFL

[Ghost of Truth]

best mock draft I have seen. I would be thrilled with this. I hope to God we take a shot with the Honey Badger, Last year I was begging for us to take a shot on Vontez Burfict and everyone was against it. Look at him now he is a beast and leading the Bengals in tackles. TD.... DO NOT LET THIS STAR GO SOMEWHERE ELSE

I was all about Burf too, watching him play he was exactly what we needed to replace Lofton in the middle, he's already about 100 years ahead of Dent at MLB.

[Kennesaw77]

The difference between Burfict and Mathieu is that Burfict actually had talent as a defensive player. Mathieu is small, bad in coverage, and over aggressive.

You could not be more wrong.

Mathieu was a GREAT CB. The stats back that up.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Kennesaw77

[Zodiac]

You could not be more wrong.

Mathieu was a GREAT CB. The stats back that up.

The tape doesn't and that's what matters.

[Kennesaw77]

The tape doesn't and that's what matters.

I saw every game he ever played in and I can assure you that he wasn't beat often.

Some info:

3. The idea that Mathieu can't cover is a myth.

Mathieu got beat on a handful of pass plays in LSU's BCS title game loss to Alabama, and since then a perception has emerged that he can't cover. It's true that Mathieu isn't a shutdown outside corner like Claiborne or Joe Haden. But he is a ball-hawking pass breakup machine, and anything but a liability in coverage. I charted every pass thrown at Mathieu in the five games. Keep in mind LSU faced quality passing attacks for the most part. Arkansas' Tyler Wilson, Geno Smith of West Virginia, and Georgia's Aaron Murray will all be drafted. Wilson could be next April's No. 1 pick.

Over the course of the five games, 21 throws were attempted into Mathieu's coverage. Eight were complete for 144 yards with no touchdowns. Mathieu got his hands on nine of the 21 passes, picking off two with five breakups. At the end of two of the completions, Mathieu stripped the receiver and recovered a fumble. The one long reception that stood out was a 44-yard gain by Tennessee's Da'Rick Rogers. A beastly presence at 6-foot-3, 206, Rogers outmuscled Mathieu's jam off the line on a slot route and got open over the middle. This was a mismatch in Rogers' favor, as he has at least six inches and 30 pounds on Mathieu, who is listed at 5-foot-9, 175.

All told, the quarterbacks went 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) for 144 yards (6.9 YPA), no touchdowns, and two interceptions throwing at Mathieu. He caused two more turnovers on post-catch strips.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/40968/321/

Edited December 22, 2012 by Kennesaw77

[PapaJoe]

I saw every game he ever played in and I can assure you that he wasn't beat often.

Some info:

3. The idea that Mathieu can't cover is a myth.

Mathieu got beat on a handful of pass plays in LSU's BCS title game loss to Alabama, and since then a perception has emerged that he can't cover. It's true that Mathieu isn't a shutdown outside corner like Claiborne or Joe Haden. But he is a ball-hawking pass breakup machine, and anything but a liability in coverage. I charted every pass thrown at Mathieu in the five games. Keep in mind LSU faced quality passing attacks for the most part. Arkansas' Tyler Wilson, Geno Smith of West Virginia, and Georgia's Aaron Murray will all be drafted. Wilson could be next April's No. 1 pick.

Over the course of the five games, 21 throws were attempted into Mathieu's coverage. Eight were complete for 144 yards with no touchdowns. Mathieu got his hands on nine of the 21 passes, picking off two with five breakups. At the end of two of the completions, Mathieu stripped the receiver and recovered a fumble. The one long reception that stood out was a 44-yard gain by Tennessee's Da'Rick Rogers. A beastly presence at 6-foot-3, 206, Rogers outmuscled Mathieu's jam off the line on a slot route and got open over the middle. This was a mismatch in Rogers' favor, as he has at least six inches and 30 pounds on Mathieu, who is listed at 5-foot-9, 175.

All told, the quarterbacks went 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) for 144 yards (6.9 YPA), no touchdowns, and two interceptions throwing at Mathieu. He caused two more turnovers on post-catch strips.

http://www.rotoworld.../cfb/40968/321/

AND the Falcons STILL aren't going to draft someone from the cut-of-clothe like Mathieu.

[A-TowN.-]

Matheiu was a great corner and the only time people started questioning his "coverage" skills was after the BCS Championship. Do I want him? No but only because of his character. If he wasn't an odd guy I believe he would be at LEAST a round 3 pick.

[Zodiac]

Matheiu was a great corner and the only time people started questioning his "coverage" skills was after the BCS Championship. Do I want him? No but only because of his character. If he wasn't an odd guy I believe he would be at LEAST a round 3 pick.

His coverage skills were masked by his safeties and DL...The guy got torched twice in the SECCG by Tarvarres King and also got torched in the National Championship game as well as getting torched by Tavon Austin when the played LSU.

The reason he looked so good is because A. He was covering the #2 WR, B. He had a great DL in front of him, C. He also had 2 very good safeties behind him, and D. LSU didn't play that tough of a schedule in 2012.

[Kennesaw77]

AND the Falcons STILL aren't going to draft someone from the cut-of-clothe like Mathieu.

That wasn't the point.

[Kennesaw77]

His coverage skills were masked by his safeties and DL...The guy got torched twice in the SECCG by Tarvarres King and also got torched in the National Championship game as well as getting torched by Tavon Austin when the played LSU.

The reason he looked so good is because A. He was covering the #2 WR, B. He had a great DL in front of him, C. He also had 2 very good safeties behind him, and D. LSU didn't play that tough of a schedule in 2012.

Good lord you could not be more wrong.

He didn't get "burned" by multiple people unless you can prove it.

He didn't ONLY cover just the #2 WR. LSU's safeties really were not that good in 2011. Yes Eric Reid is very good but the other safety spot has been a constant problem.

Didn't play a good schedule? hahahahhahah please tell me you're joking. I assume you're talking about 2011 since he didn't play in 2012 and they played:

#3 team in the country- Oregon

#25 team in the country- Miss St.

#16 team in the country- West Va

#17 team in the country- Florida

#20 team in the country- Auburn

#2 team in the country- Bama

#3 team in the country- Arky

#16 team in the country- UGA

#2 team in the country- Alabama

they had one of the toughest schedules in recent memory.

More from that article that you might find interesting:

Mathieu is used at virtually every position in the back seven.

I charted each of Mathieu's snaps from the five games. He played slot corner on 36 percent of the downs, outside corner on 32.5 percent, and safety on 10 percent. Mathieu lined up at linebacker -- usually to rush the quarterback -- on 21 percent of his plays. A "joker" in LSU's defense, Mathieu's assignment differs from one snap to the next. The LSU staff seems to believe he is an equally effective cover man, run-support defender, and pass rusher. And Mathieu wreaks havoc wherever he lines up, making plays sideline to sideline and causing ball carriers constant disruption.

7. Have some perspective when watching Mathieu this year.

Mathieu was a 19-year-old true sophomore last season earning first-team All-SEC recognition from the conference's coaches as well as a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist. Four DBs made the SEC coaches' first-team defense: Mathieu, Claiborne, Mark Barron, and first-team All-American safety Bacarri Rambo from Georgia. That's awfully nice company. In 2012, opponents will have a target on Mathieu's back, likely double teaming him at times to keep him out of plays. Every catch Mathieu allows will be scrutinized.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Kennesaw77

[Zodiac]

Good lord you could not be more wrong.

He didn't get "burned" by multiple people unless you can prove it.

He didn't ONLY cover just the #2 WR. LSU's safeties really were not that good in 2011. Yes Eric Reid is very good but the other safety spot has been a constant problem.

Didn't play a good schedule? hahahahhahah please tell me you're joking. I assume you're talking about 2011 since he didn't play in 2012 and they played:

#3 team in the country- Oregon

#25 team in the country- Miss St.

#16 team in the country- West Va

#17 team in the country- Florida

#20 team in the country- Auburn

#2 team in the country- Bama

#3 team in the country- Arky

#16 team in the country- UGA

#2 team in the country- Alabama

they had one of the toughest schedules in recent memory.

More from that article that you might find interesting:

Mathieu is used at virtually every position in the back seven.

I charted each of Mathieu's snaps from the five games. He played slot corner on 36 percent of the downs, outside corner on 32.5 percent, and safety on 10 percent. Mathieu lined up at linebacker -- usually to rush the quarterback -- on 21 percent of his plays. A "joker" in LSU's defense, Mathieu's assignment differs from one snap to the next. The LSU staff seems to believe he is an equally effective cover man, run-support defender, and pass rusher. And Mathieu wreaks havoc wherever he lines up, making plays sideline to sideline and causing ball carriers constant disruption.

7. Have some perspective when watching Mathieu this year.

Mathieu was a 19-year-old true sophomore last season earning first-team All-SEC recognition from the conference's coaches as well as a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist. Four DBs made the SEC coaches' first-team defense: Mathieu, Claiborne, Mark Barron, and first-team All-American safety Bacarri Rambo from Georgia. That's awfully nice company. In 2012, opponents will have a target on Mathieu's back, likely double teaming him at times to keep him out of plays. Every catch Mathieu allows will be scrutinized.

Tell me the name of #2 WR from Oregon, Miss St, Florida, and Auburn.

The guy didn't get tested much.

[Kennesaw77]

Tell me the name of #2 WR from Oregon, Miss St, Florida, and Auburn.

The guy didn't get tested much.

you're assuming he was always matched up VS the #2 WR which is a very very stupid assumption

[autigerfan]

After the combine, Ansah will be gone by #20. I am actually curious to see more from Mass & Kroy. They both seem to be good fits for what Nolan likes to do with his DE's. I think someone like Cliff Avril would also fit in nicely with this type of scheme although he will probably have a hefty price tag.