Atlanta Falcons: 7-round mock draft 2.0

First round – Pick 17 – Leonard Floyd – DE/OLB

The Atlanta Falcons’ need for a pass rushing specialist is still tremendous need for the team and adding one of the draft’s top edge rushers in Leonard Floyd would be another step in the right direction.

Some argue that drafting Floyd at 17 is a reach and that if we want him, we should trade back but that’s not really feasible. If the Falcons do not draft him at 17, a team like the New York Jets are going to draft him at 20 so if you snooze, you lose.

Floyd is a 6-foot-6 hybrid linebacker that weights 244 pounds and possesses the speed that Dan Quinn is looking for. Floyd ran a 4.60 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and was a top performer in both the vertical jump (39.5 in.) and the broad jump (127 in.).

He has a big weight issue. That’s clear, but what people don’t realize is that it’s not all that hard to add weight in the NFL. And with a 6-foot-6 frame, adding weight should be no issue whatsoever. What’s more confusing is determining on what position he will play in the NFL.

Floyd will likely be either an outside linebacker or a defensive end depending on which team drafts him. The Falcons run a 4-3 scheme which would make Floyd’s role intriguing. If he adds 20 pounds, we could see him as a hand in the dirt pass rusher. If Quinn doesn’t want him in the 265-pound range, we could see him as a standup pass rusher and would be someone who can cover a tight end with his great size and speed.

Whoever the Falcons draft at 17 is going to be a reach unless defensive end Shaq Lawson were to fall into their lap which is highly unlikely. There’s a possibility that the Falcons could trade down if they don’t like what they see on the board, but to think Floyd will be around at 25 isn’t likely.