Atlanta Falcons 2012 7-Rd. Mock Draft 2.0

To follow up on the first 7-Rd. Blogging Dirty Mock Draft of the year, I have compiled a list of player and positions that I think could legitimately be targeted the the Falcons in the 2012 Draft. Another good source is the Atlanta Falcons official site. They have a number of players who I just happen to agree with.

Rd. 2– Defensive end, Vinny Curry, Marshall. As I noted in the past mock draft, Vinny Curry is the best defensive end that has a legitimate shot of falling to the Falcons with their first pick. If he is available at No. 55 overall the Falcons take him– no questions asked.

Rd. 3– Offensive Tackle, Matt McCants, UAB. McCants is a little underrated, and selecting him in the 3rd round might be a reach by about one round, but with how desperate the Falcons LT situation is, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him selected in the 3rd. He apparently has the size and athleticism to play LT in the NFL against speed rushers, and strength is the only thing that needs to be added for him to be successful. McCants could be a diamond in the rough.

Rd. 5–  Tight End, Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette. Ladarius Green is currently ranked the 5th best TE on Mike Mayock’s draft rankings, and if he becomes a sleeper in the 2012 NFL draft he could legitimately fall to Atlanta in Rd. 5. It would be a tremendous bargain, and fulfill a huge need: a receiving TE.

Rd. 6– Defensive Tackle, Mike Martin, Michigan. The Falcons have a very good young DT in Corey Peters, and a player with loads of potential in Peria Jerry. But with Jonathan Babineaux not getting any younger and eating up a fat slice of cap space, Mike Martin might be a smart pick to help for the next couple seasons. He does not project to be a starter in the NFL but if he played in a rotation (exactly what he would be doing here with Peters, Jerry, and Babineaux) he could be a valuable contributor.

Rd. 7– Wide Receiver, Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma. Broyles was QB Landry Jones’ favorite target at Oklahoma; that is until he suffered a torn ACL against Texan A&M. Oklahoma was not quite the same offense afterwards. Broyles is a risk due to that injury, but we saw what another receiver of similar size, Harry Douglas, did in the slot after recovering from a torn ACL. The Falcons could use this pick to replace Douglas if he leaves in free-agency. If Broyles pans out, great. If not, it is only a 7th round pick, and I suspect the Falcons will have some type of backup plan for him.