Falcons land Alabama linebacker in new SB Nation mock draft

There's a new edition of Mocking The Draft's mock, and it has the Falcons landing a player Dan Kadar describes as an "enforcer" at linebacker.

17. Atlanta Falcons: Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama

Ragland may not pop athletically, but he moves around the field effortlessly. As fun as speed on defense can be, Ragland can be an enforcer in the middle.

Don't ask me to be impartial here, because I am (perhaps the only) card-carrying member of the Reggie Ragland fanclub on The Falcoholic' staff. I think his athleticism is not as limited as many think it is, he's a tremendous tackler, asset against the run, and linebacker in general, and I do believe he can be a three down player at the next level, even if it takes some work and coaching to get there. He'd be an immediate upgrade in the heart of the Falcons' defense, and could serve as a long-term solution for a team that really needs one.

Of course, it is true that Ragland's coming into the NFL without elite athleticism, the kind of sideline-to-sideline coverage skills the Falcons would seem to need, and with the general two-down concerns that every middle linebacker who isn't fleet of foot faces. I'd be happy with this pick, though.

Would you?