Over the past two weeks I have been recording a list of NFL draft prospects scheduled to meet with the Falcons. A week ago Falcoholic writer Jeanna Thomas referenced my list and since then it's expanded dramatically. Here is a complete, updated look at the players the Falcons have been showing an interest in thus far.
- QB - Clint Chelf - Oklahoma State Source
- QB - Chase Rettig - Boston College Source
- QB - Garrett Gilbert - Southern Methodist Source
- QB - Jamal Londry-Jackson - Appalachian State Source
- QB - Connor Shaw - South Carolina Source
- RB - Branden Oliver - Buffalo Source
- RB - De'Anthony Thomas - Oregon Source
- RB - Terrance West - Towson Source
- RB - Ben Malena - Texas A&M Source
- RB - Kyle Harbridge - St. Francis Source
- RB - Devonta Freeman - Florida State Source
- RB - Jerick McKinnon - Georgia Southern Source
- RB - Storm Johnson - Central Florida Source
- RB - Rajion Neal - Tennessee Source
- RB - DJ Adams - Portland State Source
- RB - Ryan Boykin - Ohio Source
- RB - Jeremy Hill - LSU Source
- RB - Carlos Hyde - Ohio State Source
- FB - J.C. Copeland - LSU Source
- FB - Jay Prosch - Auburn Source
- FB - Kiero Small - Arkansas Source
- FB - Chad Abram - Florida State Source
- WR - Cody Hoffman - BYU Source
- WR - Shaq Evans - UCLA Source
- WR - Gerald Ford - Valdosta State Source
- WR - Walter Powell - Murray State Source
- WR - Brelan Chancellor - North Texas Source
- WR - Regginald Lewis - Valdosta State Source
- WR - Seantavius Jones - Valdosta State Source
- WR - Jonathan Krause - Vanderbilt Source
- WR - Ryan Culbreath - Furman Source
- WR - Bruce Ellington - South Carolina Source
- WR - Jarvis Landry - Louisiana State Source
- WR - Donte Moncrief - Ole Miss Source
- WR - Davante Adams - Fresno State Source
- WR - Solomon Patton - Florida Source
- WR - Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt Source
- WR - Martavis Bryant - Clemson Source
- WR - Jalen Saunders - Oklahoma Source
- WR - Chris Boyd - Vanderbilt Source
- WR - Marqise Lee - Southern California Source
- TE - C.J. Fiedorowicz - Iowa Source
- TE - Jace Amaro - Texas Tech Source
- TE - D.J. Tialavea - Utah State Source
- TE - Justin Jones - East Carolina Source
- TE - Ernst Brun Jr. - Iowa State Source
- TE - Evan Wilson - Illinois Source
- TE - Arthur Lynch - Georgia Source
- TE - Xavier Grimble - Southern California Source
- TE - Richard Rodgers - California Source
- TE - Marcel Jensen - Fresno State Source
- C - Corey Linsley - Ohio State Source
- OG - Spencer Long - Nebraska Source
- OG - Marcus Hall - Ohio State Source
- OG - Zach Fulton - Tennessee Source
- OG - Trai Turner - LSU Source
- OG - Xavier Su'a-Filo - UCLA Source
- OT - Charles Leno Jr. - Boise State Source
- OT - Greg Robinson - Auburn Source
- OT - Taylor Lewan - Michigan Source
- OT - Wesley Johnson - Vanderbilt Source
- OT - Kaycee Ike - Alabama-Birmingham Source
- OT - Jake Matthews - Texas A&M Source
- OT - Cameron Fleming - Stanford Source
- OT - Ulrick John - Georgia State Source
- OT - Jack Mewhort - Ohio State Source
- DT - Zack Kerr - Delaware Source
- DT - Ra'Shede Hageman - Minnesota Source
- DT -Terrance Woodward - Georgia State Source
- DE - Theo Agnew - Georgia State Source
- DE - Josh Mauro - Stanford Source
- DE - Scott Crichton - Oregon State Source
- DE - Emanuel Dieke - Georgia Tech Source
- ER - Jadeveon Clowney - South Carolina Source
- ER - Kony Ealy - Missouri Source
- ER - Demarcus Lawrence - Boise State Source
- ER - Dee Ford - Auburn Source
- ER - Marcus Smith - Louisville Source
- ER - Kyle Van Noy - BYU Source
- ER - Carl Bradford - Arizona State Source
- ER - Anthony Barr - UCLA Source
- ER - Jackson Jeffcoat - Texas Source
- ER - Khalil Mack - Buffalo Source
- ER - Jordan Tripp - Montana Source
- ER - Trent Murphy - Stanford Source
- ER - Prince Shembo - Notre Dame Source
- ER - Jeremiah Attaochu - Georgia Tech Source
- ER - Brandon Watts - Georgia Tech Source
- ER - Nate Askew - Texas A&M Source
- OLB - Telvin Smith - Florida State Source
- OLB - Justin Jackson - Wake Forest Source
- OLB - Clifton Crews - South Alabama Source
- OLB - Marquis Flowers - Arizona Source
- OLB - Jordan Zumwalt - UCLA Source
- OLB - Kevin Pierre-Louis - Boston College Source
- OLB - Ryan Shazier - Ohio State Source
- ILB - Preston Brown - Louisville Source
- ILB - Christian Jones - Florida State Source
- ILB - Yawin Smallwood - Connecticut Source
- ILB - Jack Tyler - Virginia Tech Source
- ILB - Bryan Presume - Southern Illinois Source
- S - Alden Darby - Arizona State Source
- S - Ed Reynolds - Stanford Source
- S - Hakeem Smith - Louisville Source
- S - Ty Zimmerman - Kansas State Source
- S - Tre Porter - Texas Tech Source
- S - Calvin Pryor - Louisville Source
- S - Jemea Thomas - Georgia Tech Source
- S - Kimario McFadden - South Carolina State Source
- S - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix - Alabama Source
- S - Greg Worthy - Furman Source
- S - Kenny Ladler - Vanderbilt Source
- S - Brock Vereen - Minnesota Source
- S - Antone Exum - Virginia Tech Source
- S - Jimmie Ward - Northern Illinois Source
- CB - Ricardo Allen - Purdue Source
- CB - Kyle Fuller - Virginia Tech Source
- CB - Walt Aikens - Liberty Source
- CB - Kevin Fogg - Liberty Source
- CB - Jordan Love - Towson Source
- CB - Jason Verrett - TCU Source
- CB - Joe Rankin - Morgan State Source
- CB - Darius Robinson - Clemson Source
- CB - Kadeem Wise - Chattanooga Source
- CB - Nevin Lawson - Utah State Source
- CB - Kenneth Gilstrap - Middle Tennessee Source
- CB - Chris Davis - Auburn Source
- CB - Justin Gilbert - Oklahoma State Source
- CB - Jaylen Watkins - Florida Source
- CB - Najja Johnson - Buffalo Source
- CB - L.J. Jones - Fresno State Source
Walterfootball has reported that the Falcons met with Jake Matthews and Greg Robinson at the NFL Combine.
It is clear that the Falcons main focus going into the draft is protecting Matt Ryan and rushing the passer and they have visited with the top three players at both positions. It is as good as guaranteed the Falcons will address both of those areas in the first two days of the draft. Atlanta has shown interest in several potential second and third round pass rushers so it is possible they double down at that position much like they did last year at cornerback.
There is a conspicuous lack of safeties on this list (edit: as of April 2nd) but I suspect that will change in the coming weeks. There is a gaping hole at the position with the departure of Thomas DeCoud and it will have to be addressed at some point in the draft. I would not be surprised to see the Falcons bring in a veteran sometime before training camp either. The free agent cupboards are bare though so the draft is likely to be the Falcons best chance at finding a starter.
I have also put together a spreadsheet organizing all of these players by their position and/or draft projections and as well as listing their measurables and other pertinent information so give that post a look too! I will continue to update this list and the spreadsheet whenever possible so check back often to stay up-to-date!