If there's one spot on the roster where one could argue there's an abundance of competition, that position would be receiver. The irony is that out of the seemingly hundreds of receivers the Falcons have signed, only one will win a roster spot, and that's as a likely inconsequential fifth receiver in an offense that utilizes two or three and a tight end most of the time.
While there were already a few guys on the roster who could compete, the most intriguing options are actually the undrafted guys from this year, which include Arena Football League talent Troy Bergeron, Clemson rookie Aaron Kelly and Utah newcomer Bradon Godfrey. Unrookie Chandler Williams has a chance to stick around because he's a clear asset on special teams, while Khalil Jones probably won't win a spot unless everyone else on the roster suddenly takes up water polo. It's the undrafted guys or bust in this case.
Without further ado, let's take a quick look at each of these guys, as well as my wildly irresponsible prediction about which one of them will make the final roster. Here's a hint. If you've been reading for at least a month, you're going to know who I pick.
- Darren Mougey: Positional versatility is what Mougey has in spades--or at least clubs--as he dabbled in quarterback at San Diego State. At 6-6 and 230 pounds, Mougey is downright huge, and has all the physical tools necessary to succeed. He doesn't have a track record of eye-popping numbers at the college level, but if they kept him around they'd have an emergency quarterback. So he's got that going for him.
- Bradon Godfrey: The newest addition to the competition, Godfrey is 6-3 and 197 pounds and had an efficient career at Utah, where he caught 128 passes over his career. He doesn't appear to have any physical tools that separate him from the pack, which leads me to suspect he's more of a camp body than anything. Still, he's clearly a solid enough guy, so maybe he'll surprise. There's not really a whole hell of a lot out there about Mr. Godfrey.
- Troy Bergeron: We know what Bergeron can do. He can return a few kicks with reasonable success and can catch like crazy. What's the catch with this catching, you ask? That would have to be the fact that he's done all his damage in the AFL, which is just a wee bit different than the plodding pace of the NFL game. He's clearly talented, but it's a red flag that he hasn't managed to stick to a roster before now despite his success in another league. At 6-2, 190, Bergeron will probably be in the running until late in the pre-season.
- Aaron Kelly: I saved the best for last. A beanpole of a receiver, Kelly weighs as much as Bergeron but stands almost as tall as Mougey. He's got intriguing pass-catching talent but will clearly need to add a little bit to his frame so he doesn't blow away every time a guy in the third row of the Dome farts. Still, his height and his relative speed for a tall guy makes him the option I think is going to make the roster.