The court date that could determine the fate of the NFL lockout is approaching Wednesday, but I don't want to poke that bear until it's ready to wake up. Let's stick with the draft for this Monday morning, eh?
I thought we'd kick it off with discussion around this Sporting News article by Russ Lande, which lists four players who have been rocketing up draft boards in recent weeks. The list starts with Kentucky wide receiver Randall Cobb,
Our own Ball Hawk has raved about Cobb for a long time now, so he's likely a sleeper to no one at this point. The Falcons could seriously consider him in the second round, but it doesn't sound like he's going to make it quite that far. His blend of speed and soft hands makes him a good fit for almost any team, and he's a damn fine kick returner to boot.
For the remaining three, hit the jump.
RB Alex Green, Hawaii: A bruiser at 6' and 220 pounds, Green wasn't extremely productive at Hawaii, which Lande admits is going to damage his stock. But his size and speed makes him a lock to be drafted, and the Falcons could take a hard look at him if they lose Jason Snelling.
WR Aldrick Robinson, SMU: A guy I barely knew before the combine, Robinson is on his way up. More and more teams are looking for elusive slot receiver types with a wide set of skills, especially after seeing what Percy Harvin's done in his first two seasons in the league. Robinson could go as early as the third round, in my opinion, but Lande seems to think he might go a little higher than that. He could be an option for the Falcons.
RB DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma: No running back has seen their stock rise and plummet as much as Murray, who had a nice Combine and a nice career at Oklahoma but a wince-inducing Senior Bowl. In the fickle world of NFL scouting, that was enough to knock him down for a while, but he's on his way back up. Murray is probably one of the best three runners in the draft, a guy with legitimate featured back potential. He's likely to be off the board well before the Falcons start thinking about a back.
Lande also lists QB Jake Locker and DT Marvin Austin as fallers, but the Falcons aren't likely to even glance in their direction come draft day, so we can safely ignore them. What are your opinions on these risers, and will the Falcons make a run at any of them?