The Falcons hadn’t addressed their hole at guard to this point, but with the selection of Sean Harlow, they’ve added a player that might compete for a starting job this season.

Harlow is listed at 303 pounds, making him one of the lighter offensive linemen available, and played a lot of tackle in college. He’s a powerful, versatile lineman despite his weight, having gotten time at center and tackle and showing real skill as a run blocker. He’ll need to add weight, work on his technique, and get some seasoning at the NFL, more than likely, but he can play right away and has nimble enough feet to stick in this scheme.

Harlow doesn’t have massive upside, but with Wes Schweitzer, Ben Garland, and Hugh Thornton the only other legitimate guard options at the roster at the moment, he’ll likely push for the right guard job nonetheless, and could be in the mix again in 2018 if Andy Levitre departs. Even if he just settles in as a reserve with some positional versatility, he should be a useful player for Atlanta. I’m bullish on his long-term outlook, even if he doesn’t have a lot of experience at guard.

Welcome to Atlanta, Sean Harlow!

Falcons Selections

Round 1, #31: Takkarist McKinley, DE, UCLA

Round 3, #75: Duke Riley, LB, LSU

Round 4, #135: Sean Harlow, OL, Oregon State

Round 5, #149

Round 5, #156

Round 5, #175

Top Remaining Needs

1. Safety
2. Tackle
3. Tight End
4. Defensive Tackle
5. Running Back