Wild Card Weekend Mock

[vel]

There are a number of potential FAs coming up this year that can help the Falcons (Freeney, Knighton, Levitre) but I choose to do strictly a "fill the holes using the draft" type mock.

1. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

I know everybody got caught in the hype early in the season, but he's cooled a lot lately and I think Ansah will be the one with the crazy jump in stock this offseason. Everybody says they don't see any QBs worth taking, but the same was said in 2011 after Cam and Locker, Gabbert and Ponder still went early because QBs are QBs. Smith, Barkley, Glennon and Wilson will all go in the first round, whether they are first round talents or not, especially with how cheap they are now. Chiefs, Jags, Raiders, Bills and Cardinals need QB help now. Right now I see Werner, Moore, Jones, Montgomery, Mingo and Ansah above Jordan because of either production or projected potential.

2. Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky

This OG class is so deep. But Warford is so dominating and is a pure guard. Move Konz over and let's get this position fixed once and for all. I did appreciate Reynolds and actually thought about the possibility of resigning him and drafting someone to push to overtake him, but why when you can get a guy like this? This would finally give us an OLine that can play against any front and push them around instead of just containing front 7s.

3. Mike Gillislee, RB, Florida

I think Gillislee and Warford are two players tailor made for Atlanta, having seen them mocked to us too many times at this point but it makes too much sense to ignore. Gillislee is a great all around back and would be lethal in combo with Quizz and Snelling. He can get in between the tackles but is dangerous in space. He's a more modern style back than Turner, which is something we need with our more modern offensive attack. A set with Ryan in the shotgun, flanked by Quizz and Gillislee, Roddy, Julio and HD gives me chills.

4. Joseph Fauria, TE, UCLA

Due to lack of need for the TE position, Fauria falls. Dwayne Allen was the #2 TE last year and fell to the 3rd round. We were looking at Ladarius Green pretty hard last year at TE and Fauria's similar to Green: more pure WR than TE. But Fauria is bigger and can block pretty well. He's not much of a mauler, but can at least seal guys off pretty well. At 6'7, he's a mismatch for anybody guarding him. He'll jump over you, run past you and even hurdle you. He's built like a WR Ryan likes to utilize. Throw it high and let him go up and get it where nobody else can.

4. (Comp) Brandon Williams, DT, Missouri Southern

Big plug in the interior. Has some areas to work on in his game, but gives us a big beef eater in the middle for the first time in a long time. If he can force double teams, he makes things a lot easier for the rest of the OLine. He's not consistent when anchoring and isn't much of a gap shooter.

5. Marcus Lattimore, RB, USC

We all know the injury and what not, but who's going to take the chance? I take it here, with no need really pushing at this point. Lattimore is a stud when healthy. I take him with no need of using him in 2013 with Snelling, Quizz and Gillislee. Not much of an explanation here needed in my opinion.

6. Marquise Goodwin, WR, Texas

Very fast WR. I like Drew Davis and think he's got a future as our #4 WR on this team. But Goodwin gets Cone off the roster finally and gets Quizz off KR. He's smallish, but still tough and is a fighter. I was torn between Chad Bumphis or Josh Boyce here, but I went with Goodwin. I think we need a smaller fast guy since Fauria is the big 6'7 guy added to the mix.

7. Kenny Tate, SS/OLB, Maryland

I take Tate here based on potential and utility. He can play both positions, is a thumper and would give Nolan an interesting piece to use like Jordan and Biermann. You can line Tate up as the big nickel with Biermann and Jordan as the DEs and have any combo drop and blitz. He's pretty big at 6'4 230, but is still fluid.

[falcon90]

I like this mock. Hope Dion does fall to us and I really like the Gillislee pick. He runs well between the tackles but can also break a long run. He can also put on some pounds if you need him too in my opinion.

[Kayoh]

Serious question.

Why do you like Dion Jordan for us? I see him as more of a 3-4 LB.

[Adam25]

Just saying if this happened that I would totally loose my SH!T nice draft man LOVE picks 1-4 if we got jordan I don't even know what I'd do he is perfect for a rush olb or a DE either or, Gillislee, Jordan and Warford are day 1 starters for sure Fauria would be as well if Tony left. Solid draft brooo

[Kayoh]

Also, Fauria won't be there at our 4th rounder, and Warford won't be there at our 2nd rounder. Warford is a top 50 guy and Fauria top 100. Our 2nd round pick will be #58 if we don't make the SB and even lower if we do. 4th is 125+.

[falcon90]

Also, Fauria won't be there at our 4th rounder, and Warford won't be there at our 2nd rounder. Warford is a top 50 guy and Fauria top 100. Our 2nd round pick will be #58 if we don't make the SB and even lower if we do. 4th is 125+.

Are you a nfl gm or something? You can't say for sure yet that a dude will not or will be here or there.

[falcon90]

Just saying if this happened that I would totally loose my SH!T nice draft man LOVE picks 1-4 if we got jordan I don't even know what I'd do he is perfect for a rush olb or a DE either or, Gillislee, Jordan and Warford are day 1 starters for sure Fauria would be as well if Tony left. Solid draft brooo

Tell Kayoh about Gillislee again because he seems to think he doesn't run hard enough or something like that.

[Kayoh]

Are you a nfl gm or something? You can't say for sure yet that a dude will not or will be here or there.

Warford is the best RG in this draft. Cooper projects better as a C or a LG in a zone/cut scheme like Houston/Washington. Warmack, Thomas and Richardson are all LGs with Warmack as really the only one with the functional strength to bounce over to RG.

If you need a RG, and believe me when I say the Falcons aren't the only team that has that specific need, Warford is the first or second guy you're going to look to. 29 of the 32 teams will have a shot at Warford in the 2nd round before Atlanta picks.

[vel]

Serious question.

Why do you like Dion Jordan for us? I see him as more of a 3-4 LB.

I like him because of his versatility. He can truly guard Jimmy Graham no problem in my eyes but still rush the passer in a heartbeat. There is no player in the draft like that.

Just saying if this happened that I would totally loose my SH!T nice draft man LOVE picks 1-4 if we got jordan I don't even know what I'd do he is perfect for a rush olb or a DE either or, Gillislee, Jordan and Warford are day 1 starters for sure Fauria would be as well if Tony left. Solid draft brooo

Preciate it. I definitely think I fill every need sensibly when considering no FAs. I take Jordan as a faller, which may or may not happen. He's not really been putting much good tape out lately, with the bowl game as his last chance and him missing it. But the others should be there.

Also, Fauria won't be there at our 4th rounder, and Warford won't be there at our 2nd rounder. Warford is a top 50 guy and Fauria top 100. Our 2nd round pick will be #58 if we don't make the SB and even lower if we do. 4th is 125+.

As I explained in my picks, Fauria should be there. How many teams have pressing TE needs? Coby Fleener was the Tyler Eifert of last year's draft and he went in the second. Dwayne Allen was the #1 TE all last year, fell to #2 and was the 2nd TE taken and that was the third round. With Jared Cook, Dustin Keller and Jermichael Finley looking to be FAs this year, some teams could fill their needs with FAs. Konz was a top 32 pick last year that fell to 55. Decastro was a top 10 lock that fell to 24. Don't sit here and tell me who is going to be there and who won't.

[Adam25]

^^^ This is all true, Jordan didn't really help his draft stock in the bowl game but he didn't hurt it, but I think guys like Ansah will rise because of the crazy combine they will have. Mike Nolan could do wonders with Dion Jordan. Fauria will go late and even if he didn't I wouldn't mind Jordan Reed even their.

As for Warford, he will go somewhere in the second and just because he possibly is the best at his position doesn't make sense. Warmack will go early and im sure he can play either guard, especially if he's a lock for a top 15 pick.

[falcon90]

Great mock.

[jbrinson]

i would be happy if our draft fell like this but we all know TD doesn't give us what we want.

[A-TowN.-]

Love the Mock Vel. The only DEs I want in this draft are Ansah, Jordan, and Hunt. I'll be happy with any of them. Good job

[Psychic Gibbon]

The more I look into Jordan the less I like. He's way too slender and he doesn't dominate his competition and often disappears.

[bigjmw84]

FA:

Randy Starks-Versatile

Darryl Smith-Solid Vet

trade our 1st&5th for a 2nd,swap 3rds, and pick up their 5th round pick

2nd:Larry Warford

2nd:Travis Frederick

3rd:Gavin Escobar

4th:Spencer Ware

4th:Cameron Lawrence

5th:Tavarres King

6th:Zac Stacy

7th:Colin Klein

We need to revamp our oline from the indide out, and my first two picks handle that. I say we stock up on good Olinemen. With Turner and most likely Snelling gone, Ware, and Stacey would be great additions to the backfield with an improved run offense. My flavor of the day is Escobar. he has all the tools to beast on the next level.