Allen Bailey was a chic pick for the Atlanta Falcons back in January and February, but that's died down recently as guys like Justin Houston have dominated the conversation. I have a feeling this National Football Post report will put the hulking Miami defensive end back in the discussion.
The Falcons have a private workout scheduled with Bailey, one of the seemingly dozens they've set up in recent weeks. But what separates Bailey from at least a few of those rookies is that he's got an official visit coming up with the team, as well.
Bailey has seemed like a natural fit for a while now. He was pretty productive in Miami, has a powerful build and is considered plenty coachable, all attributes the Falcons look for in a 4-3 end. I compare him to Adrian Clayborn, who we profiled a couple of weeks ago, but with more upside as a pass rusher and potentially a little more development time needed.
The fact that the Falcons have talked to him at the Senior Bowl, the Combine and now are bringing him in for a personal visit tells me volumes about how intrigued they are by that talent.
Considering that nobody can really decide on whether Bailey is going in the first or second round, the team could be looking at a couple of different scenarios here. If they should trade back from the 27th pick in the first and into the early-to-mid part of the second round, it might be an ideal place to snatch up Bailey.
Best of all, he's self-aware:
"I kind of know some of my weaknesses," Bailey said. "Hands need work sometimes, getting off blocks, attacking blockers."
I may be alone in opining this, but I would be mighty happy to end up with Bailey. Dude's incredibly strong, motivated and he'll have one of the best on-the-field mentors in the game in John Abraham in Atlanta. You're always wary of guys who look a little bit like workout warriors, but I see no reason why he couldn't post 8-10 sacks a year for the Falcons with a little seasoning.
Anyone else care to share their thoughts on Bailey?