With April 28 fast approaching, NFL Draft season is nearing its end. Here's a look at some of the latest mock draft projections for the Falcons: !
Analysis:Normalcy has been restored this week, as four writers have pegged Darron Lee as the Falcons' choice at No. 17 overall. More intriguing, though, is the appearance of Jarran Reed: a defensive tackle out of Alabama.
Reed doesn't get as much attention as fellow Crimson Tide DT A'Shawn Robinson, but he's a talented prospect who moves well for his size, eats up a lot of space and thrives against the run.
The 6-foot-3, 307-pounder earned second team All-SEC honors by earning 56 stops and anchoring Alabama's front seven. Nick Saban's coaching staff named him the team's defensive player of the week six times.
Here's what Pete Schrager had to say about his decision to mock Reed to Atlanta:
"A nifty interior lineman who starred under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, Reed is the type of defensive tackle who could immediately make Dan Quinn's defense a better unit. Reed recorded 111 tackles and can establish the run defense Atlanta so sorely needs."
Reed moved up a lot of draft boards with his showing at the Senior Bowl, where he consistently overpowered blockers and created a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
After watching him in Mobile, Ala., Senior Bowl director Phil Savage said Reed is prepared for any scheme, "whether as a 4-3 tackle, a 3-4 end, or a 3-4 nose guard." That kind of versatility could make him a valuable part of Atlanta's D-line.
CBS Sports lists Reed as the No. 20 prospect available in this year's draft class, so taking him at 17 may not be a reach.
