Packers 2016 Draft: Last minute NFL mock draft
By Kenn Korb
Pick #17 — Atlanta Falcons
Darron Lee
Like the Dolphins, the Falcons are a team built with the stars & scrubs mentality. They spent huge draft capital to acquire guys like Matt Ryan (a #3 overall pick) and Julio Jones (traded a bundle of picks to move up into the top 10 for him), but haven’t been as successful with finding the subsequent pieces around them to reliably contend with consistency.
At least for them they managed to ride this strategy into gaudy records and multiple high seeds over the years (being a couple plays away from a Super Bowl appearance at one point), but recent seasons have seen them end up on the wrong end of the spectrum. Health hasn’t held up for key contributors at times, and even when it has, the “others” surrounding the stars have failed to provide enough to keep the team from missing the playoffs the past few seasons.
They have been doing better in terms of getting the overall team talent level higher under Dan Quinn though.
The offensive line used to be a sieve; they now have guys at every spot who are quality starters. They have a capable option in the run game — something lacking since the early Michael Turner days — and a cornerstone defensive piece in underrated shutdown corner Desmond Trufant.
That offense is still lacking quality pass-catching weapons beyond Julio Jones though, and beyond Trufant the defense hasn’t found anyone of note who can be banked on every game to show up on a consistent basis.
The team can and should take a hard look at the receiving prospects on the board here (none of which have been selected as of yet), but the defense is where they should ultimately go.
Another cornerback would be nice (Apple is still here), but Robert Alford is serviceable opposite Trufant for now.
A linebacker to anchor the middle is a definite necessity, but Quinn most likely would prefer someone with better coverage talents than Ragland provides, and it would be well too early for any other viable options of that ilk to be selected here. The only exception to that rule is Darron Lee, but he has size, strength, and tackling concerns to consider.
A pass rusher is undoubtedly on the wish list, but the cupboard is kind of bare at this point beyond Noah Spence, whose previous drug issues could drop him from consideration (whether or not it should is another issue).
The defensive line could use some higher-end options for the rotation, and there are a few guys worth consideration still on the board including Rankins, Reed, and Butler.
All things considered, Lee may be the best player left for them.
He fills in on a weak linebacking corps, giving them an excellent weak-side option with the speed and athleticism to cover up routes across the middle of the field in the passing game.
While he may really want someone like Shaq Lawson to be available to breathe life into a terrible pass rush, Quinn should be decently satisfied to add Lee if the circumstances don’t allow one of those pass rush options to fall to him.