Atlanta Falcons Mock Draft: Blogging Dirty Writers – Round 6

player. 44. The Falcons found some stopgaps at the TE position this offseason in the reliable Jacob Tamme and the intriguing Tony Moeaki. There’s also a chance that Levine Toilolo could develop into a better receiver this year. Still, the team could use a developmental receiving TE that can become a reliable target for Matt Ryan. Kyle Shanahan loves 2-TE sets, and at least one of them needs to be a threat to catch the football. Wes Saxton is a TE with good size and speed (6’3, 248, 4.65) that possesses the traits to be a dangerous receiver in the NFL. He’s raw in his routes and his blocking is severely lacking at this point, but the team has time to let him develop and he has the makings of a starting move/slot TE in the league.. TE. South Alabama. Wes Saxton. 185

player. 44. Small school receiver with plenty of production throughout career. Big body receiver who can pick the brains of Julio Jones and Roddy White.. WR. Central Arkansas. Dezmin Lewis. 185

Georgia Tech. DeAndre Smelter. 185. player. 44. For a man that has only been playing college football for two seasons, DeAndre Smelter is quite the specimen.  Quite simply, he’s a matchup problem on the outside and has massive hands, and I mean massive. His hands measure in at 11 inches.  Needless to say, he doesn’t have much of a problem with drops considering the inexperience.  As most know, a WR at Georgia Tech doesn’t get many targets, but Smelter is a raw prospect regardless.  Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL during the season, and he may not be ready by week 1. That’s fine for the Falcons as we don’t necessarily need him early on.  With his insane physical build and traits, DeAndre Smelter certainly has the potential to be Julio Jones’ running mate after Roddy White’s retirement.. WR

With the 6th round pick, the Falcons go into their backyard to take defensive end Ray Drew. He has the measurables and body type to be a defensive end with his hand on the ground in the 4-3. Drew would be a good addition for running downs as he’s a very good run defender, something that could help Atlanta’s abysmal run defense. Also has a powerful bull rush move which he could use as a foundation for his pass rushing. Could end up being a steal if he reaches his untapped potential.. DE. Georgia. Ray Drew. 185. player. 44

185. player. 44. I’ve seen just about every running back placed on the Falcons but, the true need of the Falcons is not a workload back.  We need someone to move the chains and pound it in.  Devonta Freeman has the absolute best vision I’ve seen in a back since Adrian Peterson.  I’m not joking there. When Alex Gibbs coached the Atlanta Falcons with a ZBS system the Atlanta Falcons had over 8100 yards rushing.  Of course, we also had Michael Vick.  However, to spell that we also had Warrick Dunn and TJ Duckett. And that’s exactly how I see Synjyn Days.  The new TJ Duckett of the Atlanta Falcons.. RB. Georgia Tech. Synjyn Days

Ramik Wilson. 185. player. 44. At this point its time to select the best player available. This guy might not only push veterans for roster positions he could end up being a starter in the near future. The Falcons select the best player left on the boad which is Ramik Wilson, linebacker from the University of Georgia. The guy has cover skills and tackles well.  He is a nice addition this late in the draft.. ILB. Georgia

185. player. 44. For the sixth round, the Falcons go offense again by selecting South Alabama TE Wes Saxton. Needing all the help they can get at TE, the Falcons double dipped on the position in free agency, but could still add an athletic, but limited, pass catcher in Saxton. The combine’s top TE in the 40 yard dash, broad jump and vertical jump, Saxton has soft hands and a burst off the line of scrimmage. He would be an ideal fit in a wide open offense with threats all over the field and, while Saxton isn’t a phenomenal blocker, would add another dynamic weapon for Matt Ryan to use. Perhaps not a day one starter on most NFL teams, Saxton could find himself with a decent amount of playing time given the Falcons lack of top tier TE talent.. TE. South Alabama. Wes Saxton

185. player. 44. Slater is the definition of a sleeper. He has NFL size (6’5″, 290 lbs) to play multiple positions on the defensive line. In Quinn’s scheme, he could play either as the 2-gap strongside defensive end which lines up over the OT or play inside from the 1-gap 3-technique spot which is what Babineaux plays. He has the athleticism to match the responsibilities. Length and strength to hold up blockers, speed and explosion to hit the backfield. As you may expect from a small school DT, he was much more athletic than his opponents so relied on athleticism rather than technique which will present a learning curve for him as he enters a level playing field.. DT. West Georgia. Tory Slater

player. 44. This guy is exciting. The 6’6″, 238-pound wide receiver from Georgia Tech has great size, and with that comes the ability to create mismatches all over the field. It’s possible he moves to tight end, but even if he can’t make the transition, Waller has the potential to become a dangerous weapon in the passing game. Waller is very raw and needs plenty of development; don’t expect much from him early. With a chance to develop in the Falcons’ system, though, Waller can become a physical threat in the passing game and would be a good red zone option.. WR. Georgia Tech. Darren Waller. 185

C/G. Georgia Tech. Shaquille Mason. 185. player. 44. With Justin Blalock released this off-season, an open spot appeared at the left guard position. Although, the importance of this need depends on what the coaching staff want to do with Mike Person and Jared Smith. They might be on the team for depth purposes only. Drafting a young guard to mature and develop could be an option during Day 3. Shaq Mason embodies perfectly this concept. The Georgia Tech alumnus has proved his abilities as a run blocker within the triple-option offense run by the Yellow Jackets. However, he really needs to develop pass-blocking skills if he wants to have a future in the NFL. Shaq Mason is also a versatile player, he is able to play center if needed. With all that said, he might be gone before the Falcons’ pick in the 6th round. Selecting him at the end of Day 3 would be a coup for Atlanta.