Reports say Montez Sweat could fall in the draft, possibly to the Falcons benefit

Just a week ago, most everyone was talking about Montez Sweat as a first round pick. Heck, there was a widespread expectation that he’d go in the first ten picks of the draft, possibly ahead of our own Eric Robinson’s favorite Brian Burns. Either that’s changed or teams are trying to get a bargain, and either way, Sweat is dealing with an enlarged heart.

The likes of Gaines Adams, the former Buccaneer who died of a heart attack due to his condition, and Nick Fairley, who enjoyed a strong career, have also dealt with enlarged heart. It’s the kind of condition that puts teams on high alert, because it has to be managed and there is obviously the potential for it to be fatal, however remote that possibility may be. I think there will still be teams who take the Stone Mountain native in the first round, but there are also teams who have reportedly taken him off their boards entirely, and I would not be at all surprised to learn that was the truth.

I don’t know where the Falcons stand on Sweat, but I do know that if they’re not scared away by his medicals, he has the talent to be an absolute steal in the second round. If the team goes the route I expect them to go and nab an offensive lineman in the first round, Sweat in the second would be about the best case scenario for a team with long-term needs off the edge. For now it’s merely a possibility, but if we get to the end of the first round and Sweat’s still hanging around, I’ll allow myself to entertain the possibility that the Falcons might come away with a top prospect in the next round.

Oh, and speaking of Stone Mountain, that’s where Sweat will be during the draft instead of with the other top prospects. It seems like we’ll start seeing more players spending the night with their friends and family rather than being at the draft itself, which is fine by me.