Let's wrap up the last two picks of what looks like a very good draft by rolling through rounds six and seven. We'll also have quick thoughts on a pair of undrafted free agents who the Falcons have signed, with more sure to come in the days ahead.
6th Round: Spencer Adkins, ILB, Miami: Adkins is about as close as you can get to the dictionary definition of a project. A physically imposing athlete with a lot of football intelligence, Adkins has a host of things he'll need to work on, including his coverage instincts, his wrapup tackling and his energy level. This is stuff he can work on, but Adkins has the basic skills to be a force on special teams early in his career. Eventually, he's got the potential to become a punishing backup for Curtis Lofton, and there's enough upside that he may actually become something more. Great gamble for the Falcons in the sixth round.
7th Round: Vance Walker, DT, Georgia Tech: Remember how I kept asking the Falcons to get a run-stopping defensive tackle? You're looking at the guy.
Walker is well-known for being excellent against the run, but apparently he's got no problem hitting the quarterback in the face every now and then. He'll have to work at his push up front to be effective in the NFL, but Walker projects as a very balanced backup defensive tackle in the pros with a little work. If given the chance, I think he'll be a familiar face on gamedays. With so many defensive tackles already on the roster, though, Walker needs a great pre-season and some breaks to get the opportunity. Very solid pick.
Undrafted Free Agent: John Parker Wilson, QB, Alabama: An interesting pickup by the Falcons. Wilson is not a huge guy, not a fast guy and not an incredibly accurate guy. He's just a guy who happens to be a decent quarterback.
I don't want to be unkind, but the absolute pinnacle I can envision for this guy would be as a backup quarterback, and that might be pushing it. He'll certainly give you a hell of an effort and he's a smart kid, but a guy with 30 interceptions in three years and a career completion percentage well under 60% isn't striking fear into the heart of Chris Redman. He's a worthy gamble for QB depth, but don't get your hopes up too much higher than that.
Undrafted Free Agent: Aaron Kelly, WR, Clemson: A tall, thin receiver with excellent hands, Kelly is an intriguing prospect for the Falcons. His biggest weakness isn't his lack of top flight speed--the Falcons have shown they can work around that--but rather his reputation as a weak blocker. Kelly's got upside and his pass-catching ability alone makes him worth a flier, but he's going to have to learn to block if he's going to stick around and have any kind of impact.
Your thoughts?