Atlanta Falcons Address Defensive Weaknesses in Mock Draft

Round Five (160th overall): Yasir Abdullah, EDGE (Louisville)

With the Falcons losing their fourth round picks in the earlier trade to land Robinson, their next pick comes ar the 160th pick, where they take a flyer on Yasir Abdullah out of Louisville. While Abdullah is still "raw" by many scouts, his ability to work against teams like Cincinnati (where Ridder played) and Temple could bode well for him in Ryan Neilsen's system.

A positive note for Abdullah is that he was one of the AAC's best players last year, with his stat line (63 tackles, two picks) garnering first-team recognition. Furthermore, check out his PFF stats, which while very impressive, showcase a player who's still on the rise as his next step comes around.

A concern about Abdullah entering the NFL most likely would be attributed to his height (6-foot-1), but in today's NFL, linebackers aren't valued just for their height/weight. Rather, it's about how they can play the field, and his ability to pull down ball carriers and hustle will go a long way at the next level.

Last year, Atlanta attempted to find a mid-to-late round pick in DeAngelo Malone, and while the third round pick has yet to truly get some reliable snaps on defense, the early ability he's shown coming out of Western Kentucky could lead the brass to keep an eye on Abdullah if he falls this far.