Atlanta Falcons News: Keanu Neal a trade down option in draft?

Good morning, Falcons fans. At long, long last, the 2016 NFL Draft is here. It all gets underway tonight, and you can find all of the analysis you need following each pick right here at Blogging Dirty. Will Atlanta stick at No. 17 — and if so who will they take? Will they attempt to trade back — how far down could they go? The speculation is over, the mock drafts are over, the lies are over. It’s draft time.

As you sip your coffee this fine draft day morning, enjoy these Falcons articles from around the internet.

Trade-down scenario could help Falcons capture Gator — Vaughn McClure of ESPN

Not only could trading back help the Falcons add some more picks to their arsenal, but doing so could also help them land Florida safety Keanu Neal. Taking him at No. 17 might be a bit too rich for Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff’s liking, but by trading down they could acquire some more value and go get him.

Falcons prepared to stand pat at 17, upgrade defense — D. Orlando Ledbetter of AJC.com

We’ve spoken at length about the potential of a trade down for the Falcons, and while this could happen, what happens if they just stick at No. 17 and go after a defensive player? In theory, the higher you pick the better the talent. Of course that’s not the way it always (or often) works as this isn’t a science. But it’s a possibility.

Next: Draft: Five best defensive end options for Falcons

Falcons draft rumors: Two Clemson defensive ends, Florida safety first round options for Atlanta? — Dave Choate of The Falcoholic

At this time of year does anybody know what to believe? I tend to just ignore everything until something is made official. But let’s have some fun. For what it’s worth, the Falcons reportedly have interest in Darron Lee, Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd. They also like Keanu Neal, but as previously mentioned going after him would likely require a trade down scenario for it to be valuable.