Future Falcon Watch: Takeaways from Day One of the Senior Bowl

The first day of Senior Bowl practices is in the books. Here's a few notes on players at positions of need for the Falcons, and other players who stood out.

Linebacker

Reggie Ragland - Alabama

Ragland (6'1", 259) had a solid first day of practice. He looked very comfortable in the linebacker drills ran by the Jaguars staff and filled well against the run. Ragland also got some reps at defensive end in pass rush one on ones, but he didn't do much damage there.

Wide Receiver

Malcolm Mitchell - Georgia

Malcolm Mitchell was very impressive on the field today. He ran crisp routes and had impressive timing the quarterbacks on the South squad. Mitchell made a crazy one handed snag along the sideline while getting both feet in. Mitchell has struggled with injuries and a shuffling door at quarterback, but he has the talent to be a solid contributor in the NFL.

Braxton Miller - Ohio State

No one has ever questioned Braxton Miller's athleticism, but his projection to receiver has left some questions. Today was a great step in the right direction to solidify himself as a true receiving threat moving forward. Miller has clearly worked on his craft as a route runner and looked natural catching the football. It's hard to doubt an athlete of his caliber attempting to do anything; if he continues to improve this week he might hear his name called earlier.

Interior Offensive Line

Josh Garnett - Stanford

Josh Garnett is a house. He performed very well in pass rush one on ones. He's physical at the point of attack and has some ridiculous strength in his upper body. On one rep he was going against Notre Dame defensive tackle Sheldon Day and stopped him dead in his tracks after one punch. He'd be a nice fit in the Falcons offense as they sorely need to upgrade the talent on the interior.

Nick Martin - Notre Dame

Martin was just as impressive as Garnett, except when the Cowboys staff decided to give him a few reps at offensive tackle. Martin is a true center and he faired well in run game one on ones and pass rush reps too. The Falcons need to keep adding talent to the offensive line; Nick Martin would be a nice addition to Atlanta.

Edge Rusher

Noah Spence - Eastern Kentucky

As one of the more hyped players coming into the Senior Bowl, Noah Spence had a mixed bag on the first day. He moved well during the bag drills and his athleticism was apparent, but he didn't look as good going against the South team offensive line. He struggled against the run and looked average as a pass rusher. Spence has a ton of talent so hopefully he can pick it up throughout the week.

A guy who looked REALLY impressive today was Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. He was utterly dominant in every phase of practice. He shut down the run, spun and danced around offensive guards, and played with brute force too. If he continues his strong play don't be surprised to see him get drafted early in the first round.

Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed and Clemson defensive tackle D.J. Reader were impressive today as well. Reader moves extremely well for a 330+ man and Reed was technically efficient with attacking the opposing teams offensive lines.

Carson Wentz from North Dakota State looked sharp throwing the ball. He has impressive arm strength and should shine this week. Dak Prescott from Mississippi State also performed well on the first day. Prescott showed accuracy, poise, and arm strength, albeit against air for the most part.