The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons need better rush
Getting help for Beasley a priority in draft with plenty of top prospects.
Defending NFC champions may look to move up in draft to solidify their defensive line,
FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons defense, while young, still has major room for improvement.
“We are much closer to the vision of what I think we can become with the speed, the attitude, the style that we like to play,” coach Dan Quinn said. “From here on, we’d like to stay into that rhythm.”
While the conversion to Quinn’s style of play is nearly complete, the team can still add some help in the upcoming NFL draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday in Philadelphia.
The Falcons landed three defensive starters and their tight end of the future in the first four rounds of last year’s draft.
This season, the Falcons have six selections; they traded their sixth-round pick to Tennessee in the Andy Levitre deal. The Falcons have three picks in the top 100 players, with slots 31, 63 (second round) and 95 (third round).
But to get the pass-rush help they covet, the Falcons may have to move up in the draft.
The Falcons hold the 31st pick and Missouri’s Charles Harris and Tennessee’s Derek Barnett will be long gone. However, they believe there will be opportunities to move up into the 20s to land one of the “handful” of players they’ve targeted.
“I think the reality is that there will be opportunities to move up into the 20s, it’s there,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “I say that because there are going to be some interesting opportunities, I believe. “We’ll look at opportunities.” The Falcons have been aggressive in the past. Dimitroff traded back into the first round in 2008 to land tackle Sam Baker. He moved up 21 spots to select wide receiver Julio Jones in 2011 and he moved up eight spots to pick cornerback Desmond Trufant in 2013.
“Dan asked me the other day, have you ever moved back?” Dimitroff said.
Just once. Last year, from 50 to 52.
In addition to Harris and Barnett, the Falcons have held workouts for Ohio’s Tarell Basham, Villanova’s Tanoh Kpassagnon, UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley, Temple’s Haason Reddick, Youngstown State’s Derek Rivers and Kansas State’s Jordan Willis.
“There are some pass rushers (in the draft),” Quinn said. “This is a good group of defensive linemen. I think when we look back years from now, this group will come back through as a class that had a strong defensive line.”
The Falcons had 34 sacks, 81.5 hits and 135.5 hurries as they affected the quarterback 255.5 times on 655 pass attempts. Outside linebacker Vic Beasley had a breakout season with 15.5 sacks, 16.5 hits and 33.5 hurries.
They want someone to help generate pressure opposite Beasley.
“We are always looking for guys who can hit the edge and get after people,” Quinn said. “It’s the initial quickness that you look for first. The get-off and can you beat a guy to the punch. Past that, you are looking for finish and toughness that goes along with (if the player can) become a rusher. This is a good group.”
Barnett, 6-foot-3 and 259 pounds, had 33 sacks in a 39-game career for Tennessee.
Harris, 6-3, 253, made 61 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, nine sacks, batted two passes and two forced fumbles in 2016. He had one of his better games against Georgia, when he had seven tackles and three sacks.
McKinley, 6-2, 250, is probably better suited to play outside linebacker.
Reddick, 6-1, 237, was a two-year starter for the Owls and played left and right defensive end. He also played some standing up and has experience dropping into coverage. He’s a hybrid pass rusher and had a team-high 22.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks last season. The group presents options. “They come in different sizes,” Quinn said. “There are some really long and tall rushers, and there are guys who are smaller and more compact. You’ve got to find the best player that you can feature in your system and that’s kind of why everybody has their own view on how they’d like to do it. The main thing is getting guys that fit you best and that you have a really clear way on how to feature them.”
The Falcons know a rookie will have trouble making a major impact. Beasley had just four sacks his rookie season.
“Coming in, all of the guys are going to need some time to develop,” Quinn said. “There is a piece for all of the players; let’s be real, it’s going to be a transition coming into the NFL. So the development piece is real.
“The traits are what you are looking for. Who has that kind of initial quickness. I think that there will be a handful of guys when we look back on this year that say, they made an impact on their teams. Is that number somewhere between five to seven to eight? I would say so. There’s that big of a group of guys who can make a real impact on their teams.
“If we gauge just on playing time and sacks, then we’ll see after the season. It’s a good group for sure.”
Quinn also noted that this draft has talented defensive backs throughout.
Several mock drafts have the Falcons selecting versatile Michigan player Jabrill Peppers.
He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds, which is faster than Seattle All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas.
“From our perspective, we talked a lot about him,” Dimitroff said on Thursday. “Obviously, he’s a winner. Plain and simple, he’s a smart football player. He’s a tough and competitive guy who’s versatile. I think he’ll do well in this league.”
Peppers played linebacker for the Wolverines, some quarterback, running back and returned punts and kickoffs.
“One of the rare guys that you have to put on all three sides of tape to watch him carry the ball, but we see him as a safety for our team and how we play,” Quinn said.
He believes Peppers has the flexibility to play strong safety and free safety.
“He’s got the size to be a strong, but I think the speed to play free,” Quinn said. “We didn’t nail him into one spot.”
‘I think the reality is that there will be opportunities to move up into the 20s, it’s there. I say that because there are going to be some interesting opportunities, I believe. We’ll look at opportunities.’ — Thomas Dimitroff, Falcons general manager