Expert Opinion (April 13) | Expert Opinion (March 26) | Expert Opinion (April 6)
Just over one week to go before the Falcons are on the clock at the #8 overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. As teams begin to lock down their draft boards and make final decisions on their wish lists, AF.com checks back with our panel of expert mock drafts (including a couple of new additions) to see if they have changed their minds on who the Birds will take. Here is a sampling of the opinions from various mock drafts, which do not represent the actual views of the Falcons' personnel staff (click the links provided for each site's mock draft) If the draft expert had a different player selected by the Falcons in the last installment (April 13), it is noted after the current pick: John Murphy, Yahoo! Sports: Penn State T Levi Brown. "The Falcons have admitted that they are not sure of their alignment on the offensive line for the upcoming season. Since they have a pair of second-round choices, they could pass on Brown to select the best available defensive player on their board and then try to deal back up into the mid-to-late portion of the first round for Central Michigan offensive tackle Joe Staley." (was LSU S LaRon Landry on April 6). In the second round, Murphy sees the Falcons selecting Texas S Michael Griffin at #39 and Georgia DE Charles Johnson at #44 overall. Rob Rang, The Sports Xchange: LSU S LaRon Landry. "Starting safeties Chris Crocker and Lawyer Milloy were adequate against the run, but susceptible to the deep pass in '06. If Landry remains on the board, the Falcons would be wise to add him. The four-time All-SEC choice is considered by some to be the safest defensive prospect in this draft." (was Michigan DT Alan Branch on April 13, Penn State T Levi Brown on April 6 and Landry on March 26). Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN: Penn State T Levi Brown. (was Michigan CB Leon Hall on April 13 and Arkansas DE Jammal Anderson on April 6). In the second round, Kiper has the Falcons selecting South Carolina WR Sidney Rice at #39 and UNLV CB Eric Wright at #44 overall.
Todd McShay, Scouts, Inc. (ESPN Insider): LSU S LaRon Landry "OT Levi Brown is a possibility, especially with new head coach Bobby Petrino looking to get bigger and more physical along the offensive line. However, Landry is the more highly rated prospect at a position of equal need. A four-year starter in the SEC, Landry should be ready to start immediately in the NFL." (no change from April 13, was Louisville DT Amobi Okoye on April 6 and Landry on March 26). In the second round, McShay sees the Falcons selecting Texas G Justin Blalock at #39 and Georgia DE Charles Johnson at #44. Pat Kirwan, NFL.com: Michigan DT Alan Branch. "The Falcons sit in the No. 8 spot instead of the No. 10 spot after trading Matt Schaub to Houston. LaRon Landry should be gone, so the discussion will be about Levi Brown and Branch. The Falcons need help on the defensive line with Patrick Kearney gone and Grady Jackson just about done. Michael Vick is left handed, so the Falcons' needs are more for a pass-blocking right tackle, so they opt for Branch." (was Brown on April 13, Landry on April 6 and Okoye on March 26). Vic Carucci, NFL.com: LSU S LaRon Landry. "New coach Bobby Petrino wants to add size and strength to his offensive line, so Penn State offensive tackle Levi Brown is a possibility. But Landry would give them the very best player at a position of need and one of the top prospects in the draft." (no change). Pete Prisco, CBSSportsline.com: Clemson DE Gaines Adams. "They need to replace Patrick Kerney, so this makes sense." (was Anderson on April 13). Clark Judge, CBSSportsline.com: Louisville DT Amobi Okoye. "Falcons need help everywhere; can start with former Petrino pupil." (was Anderson on April 13).
Don Banks, CNNSI.com: LSU S LaRon Landry. "Need and value converge perfectly for the Falcons in this case. Landry is a proven commodity and four-year starter from LSU; he would instantly upgrade the Falcons' last line of defense. Atlanta knows that No. 9 Miami might try to trade up to No. 7 and spoil their plans to take Landry." (was Brown on April 13 and Anderson on April 6). Peter Schrager, FoxSports.com (new mock addition): LSU S LaRon Landry. "Already considered the top defensive back in the draft entering the combine, Landry blew scouts away with a jaw-dropping 4.32 in the 40. He followed that up with a spectacular performance at the LSU Pro Day last month. A four-year starter down in Baton Rouge, the Falcons would be grabbing a franchise player by selecting him here. Really, a can't miss prospect." In the second round, Schrager sees the Falcons selecting South Carolina WR Sidney Rice at #39 and Hawaii DE Ikaika Alama-Francis at #44 overall. Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News (new mock addition): Michigan CB Leon Hall. Scott Wright, NFLDraftCountdown.com: Arkansas DE Jammal Anderson. "After losing Patrick Kerney, one of their best players, as a free agent defensive end is a huge need and when you factor in John Abraham's inability to stay healthy this pick really makes a lot of sense. Jamaal Anderson hasn't gotten a lot of national attention but he is a premier prospect who is coming off a junior season in which he tallied 19.5 tackles for a loss and 13.5 sacks. If LaRon Landry is available he would most likely be the pick since they have been in search of a top safety for years now and Bobby Petrino also wants to get bigger up front and Levi Brown would certainly help accomplish that goal so he will garner strong consideration here as well. Then there's always the possibility of a trade up for Calvin Johnson and while they now have plenty of ammo courtesy of the Matt Schaub deal it would be very costly and would likely take a package of their #1, both 2nd rounders and their 3rd rounder to get up to #2 overall and I really don't see that happening. However, they could possibly move up to the #6 spot for a shot at Landry." (was Landry on April 13 and Anderson on April 6). In the second round, Wright sees the Falcons selecting Texas G Justin Blalock at #39 and North Carolina State DT DeMarcus Tyler at #44 overall. Derek Harper, NFLDraftScout.com: LSU S LaRon Landry. "Deep coverage was a significant problem for the Falcons last year, particular on the side of FS Chris Crocker. Landry is capable of starting at either safety spot, and as one of the draft's top defensive playmakers, he could take over for Crocker early in his rookie season." (no change from April 13 and was Peterson on April 6).
ProFootballTalk.com: Louisville DT Amobi Okoye. (was Landry on April 6 and 13 and was Peterson on March 26).
