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NFL Draft 2015: Ameer Abdullah works out for Falcons

The Falcons are doing their homework on some of this year's best running back prospects, as Ameer Abdullah has now been added to the list of players Atlanta has worked out.

By Alex Welch

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Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons continue to show interest in some of the top running backs entering the 2015 NFL Draft. The team recently worked out Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah, according to Ross Jones of FOXSports.com.

Abdullah revealed earlier this month that Atlanta one was of the teams showing interest in him. We know the Falcons are set on drafting a running back to add to their depth chart for 2015. Abdullah might be a more costly pick, as he's projected by most analysts to go somewhere in Round 2. But as Jones mentions, Abdullah would be a good fit for Kyle Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme.

Last season Abdullah put together quite the highlight reel with the Cornhuskers, rushing for 1,611 yards and 19 touchdowns on 264 carries. After four years at Nebraska, he finished with 4,588 rush yards, 46 total touchdowns and 73 receptions.

At 5-foot-9, 205 pounds, Abdullah probably isn't the ideal size to play as an everyone-down back in the NFL, but don't let his height fool you. He has great vision and agility to provide explosive plays as the next level. He was also an Academic All-American and a team captain in college, traits that will surely be of interest to Thomas Dimitroff.

Fumbling is Abullah's biggest issue. He has the worst fumble fate out of all running backs in the 2015 class, averaging one fumble for every 35.4 touches. It's an issue that can be corrected, but that stat might concern some teams and cause him to fall in the draft.

Abdullah is a sure-handed receiver, though, and while he doesn't possess elite speed, he posted the best SPARQ score of any running back this year. He's one of the most versatile runners entering the draft.

Here are some of Abdullah's metrics, courtesy of RotoUnderworld. The chart on the right shows (in order) his 40 time, speed score, agility score, burst score and his bench press (click the link to read about how these are calculated). Numbers in parentheses shows his percentile rank among all NFL running backs. The Ahmad Bradshaw comparison looks promising.

Would you be on board with the Falcons taking Abdullah in Round 2, or are you hoping for a different position to be addressed early?

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