The Falcons took a defensive player for the third time in four picks in the sixth round on Sunday as they grabbed Maine S Daren Stone at #203 overall.
Stone (6-3, 218 pounds) is considered to be a vastly underrated talent who is a punishing tackler in the strong safety spot and was getting interest from some clubs as an outside linebacker in a Cover-2 scheme.
Stone was named all-Atlantic Ten in 2006 as he posted 50 tackles (30 solo) with four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one interception for the Black Bears.
In 2005, he started Maine's first eight games at strongside cornerback and had 41 tackles (30 solo) with a sack and 5.5 tackles for loss as a third team all-A10 choice.
With the third of the four picks in the round, Atlanta took a huge offensive lineman at #198 overall as they selected Ohio State C Doug Datish.
Datish (6-4, 302 pounds) earned all-Big Ten first team honors in 2006 as he started all 13 games at center. He led an offensive line that helped lead the Buckeyes to 384.5 yards per game in total offense as the line allowed just 19 QB sacks. He graded at 83.9 percent for blocking consistency and had 81 key blocks or knockdowns and 17 touchdown-resulting blocks.
Datish had starting experience for OSU at three spots on the line - center (14 starts), left tackle (12 starts) and left guard (nine starts) and played at all five spots on the line at one time or another during his college career.
Atlanta went back to the secondary for the second of their four selections in the sixth round as they took Auburn CB David Irons at #194 overall.
Irons (5-10, 190 pounds), a Dacula native who prepped at Dacula High School, Irons started all 13 games for the Tigers last season at left cornerback. He posted 42 tackles (23 solo) with a forced fumble, three tackles for loss and 12 pass breakups to go with two interceptions.
In 2005, he had 48 tackles (36 solo) with two tackles for loss and seven pass breakups as he was named second team all-SEC by the Associated Press.
For the Falcons' first pick in the sixth round, they took DT Trey Lewis of Washburn at #185 overall.
Lewis (6-3, 318 pounds), was an All-America and a all-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association first teamer as he ranked third on the NCAA Division II Ichabods with 62 tackles (26 solo), four sacks, 10 tackles for loss and two QB pressures.
In 2005, Lewis had 45 tackles (22 solo) with four sacks, eight tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
He is considered as a player who can physically dominate in the trenches and leads by example.
