NFL Draft 2016: Atlanta Falcons select Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee in SB Nation's latest mock draft

The Atlanta Falcons defense could really use a talented linebacker or two. That's sure to be a focal point for the front office in the lead up to the NFL draft. In the meantime, we fans will sit around blindly prognosticating, opining about who the Falcons will take and why.

SB Nation's Dan Kadar released his latest mock draft today. With the 17th pick in the NFL Draft, he has the Falcons taking talented linebacker Darron Lee.

17. Atlanta Falcons: Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State

It may be a surprise to see Lee picked ahead of Reggie Ragland of Alabama, but don't be shocked if it happens in the draft. Lee is a big-time athlete who can make plays sideline-to-sideline.

Lee's draft stock is on the rise after a stellar Combine. That could directly impact the Falcons, particularly if he's their guy. Lee, all 230 pounds of him, ran a 4.43 40 yard dash. But that's not all.

Lee's 40-yard dash time was the fastest by a linebacker at the Scouting Combine in almost a decade and was faster than all but six of this year's wide receivers who worked out Saturday. He also had a broad jump of 11-feet, 1-inch, a vertical jump of better than 35 inches and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.2 seconds, third-best among linebackers.

Lee is an impressive physical specimen, and the Falcons would be lucky to have him. Whether he's still available when the Falcons make their pick remains to be seen.