Atlanta Falcons turn eyes to Senior Bowl

Will DE Brandon Graham (#55) draw interest from the Atlanta Falcons (AP Photo/File)?

On Monday some of the nation's best senior college football players will converge on Mobile, Alabama for the annual Under Armour Senior Bowl, the premier post-season college All-Star game.

According to CBSSports.com, 80% of the game's participants will be selected in the NFL Draft, many in the first three rounds.

Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff will be on the scene scouting the practices each day heading up to the game on Saturday, January 30. Last season, of Dimitroff's eight draft choices, Peria Jerry, William Moore, Lawrence Sidbury, and Vance Walker played in the Senior Bowl.

Dimitroff likes his draft picks to be top-performing seniors and it's safe to say some of Atlanta's draft choices this year will be playing in Saturday's game.

A preview of some of the players that Atlanta may have their sights on:

Running back

•  Dexter McCluster: A senior team captain at Ole Miss, McCluster was virtually the entire offense for the Rebels in 2009. A playmaker with electrifying speed, the 5'7" back is really the only running back at the Senior Bowl that fits what the Falcons may look for in a running back. With the status of Jerious Norwood and his return to the team in question, the Falcons may attempt to bring in a new player to fill the role that is expected of Norwood, that of a change-of-pace, utility running back. McCluster fills that role and then some. Lining up as a running back and wide receiver, McCluster finished his senior season with 1,169 rushing yards and eight touchdowns and 520 receiving yards with three touchdowns. He's currently projected as a third-to-fourth round prospect, but his 4.42 speed with the versatility and surprising toughness he may show during Senior Bowl week could put him on the rise.

Tight end

• Anthony McCoy: The 6'4", 245 pound tight end's college career didn't end quite how he anticipated. Suspended for academic reasons for USC's bowl game, McCoy didn't finish how he started. He gathered in 22 catches in '09 for 457 yards and one touchdown, not standout numbers, but scouts rave about the 22-year-olds NFL potential. Blessed with above average speed and the perfect tight end frame, McCoy runs solid routes with good hands and demonstrates a toughness and lack of fear working in the middle of the field. His blocking ability is currently considered above average. He rates as a second-round pick currently.
• Jimmy Graham: An interesting third- or fourth-round draft prospect is former Miami basketball player Graham. At 6'6", 258 pounds the desired size is there but the experience is not. Playing football in his senior season for the first time in nine years, he showed outstanding potential and many felt that if he'd played football the entire team, his career at the U. would have ended much the same as former first-rounder Jeremy Shockey's did--if not better. A gutsy player who isn't afraid to block but is still a liability in that discipline, Graham projects as a third- to -fifth round player. He could be the perfect understudy to Tony Gonzalez, providing him a perfect opportunity to continue to learn in a backup role as the future Hall of Famer finishes up his stellar career.

Offensive linemen

• Ciron Black: The son of two preachers, Black holds the record for most consecutive starts at LSU. The 6'4", 327 pound tackle projects more as a right tackle in the NFL because of his strong run blocking ability and could be a player Atlanta considers in the third or fourth round area.
• Vladimir Ducasse: Scouts are split on whether the FCS All-American tackle from UMass is a better fit at tackle or guard in the NFL, but regardless he's a massively well-built and athletic lineman prospect. A senior team captain, Ducasse is light on his feet and is above average in both run and pass defense. His stock is rising and is projected anywhere from a second- to third-round prospect. A strong week will only improve this standing.
• Mike Johnson: A strong character player, the Alabama guard was named to the AP First-Team All-American Team. A three-year starter, Johnson was extremely durable in his college career, though he did leave the '09 Sugar Bowl with an injured ankle. He relies more on hard work than technique and currently projects as a second- or third-round pick, which may be too early for Atlanta to look to beef up its interior offensive line.
• John Jerry: Two-time All-SEC honoree and senior team captain, Jerry is the brother of '09 Falcons first-round draft pick Peria Jerry. A four-year starter at Ole Miss, Jerry is massive at 6'5", 352 pounds but has room to improve his body and his blocking technique. He's a hard worker that projects as a fifth-round talent and a player that Atlanta knows will work hard, but won't be a starter right away.
• Eric Olsen: A former guard, Olsen moved to center for Notre Dame during his senior year and only allowed one sack in 450 pass attempts. A sixth or seventh round player, Atlanta may be interested in Olsen to come in and be groomed to take over for veteran Todd McClure when he retires.

 Defensive end

• Brandon Graham: Graham is a name Falcons fans may get to know quickly. Team captain, team-voted MVP, Second-Team All-American, tremendous college production, and hard worker. On the surface he appears to have everything Dimitroff wants out of a draft pick. Dig a little deeper and you'll see even more reasons why he could be a perfect fit. A little undersized as a defensive end at 6'1", 263 pounds he plays much bigger. Blessed with great speed and a strong upper body, he led the nation in tackles for loss with 26. He added ten sacks as a senior, matching his junior total. Disciplined, intelligent, and instinctive he'll play through the whistle on every down and with a late first-round, early second-round grade may be just the player in Atlanta's crosshairs.
• George Selvie: The only two-time All-American in USF history, Selvie had a down year in his senior season due in large part to being consistently double-teamed. A team captain, his is forte is speed and rushing the passer. He could be a little undersized for end in the NFL and may have to explore switching to linebacker, but his love of the game is unquestioned. A hard worker, with discipline and great effort he may the kind of player Dimitroff could find waiting for him in the third round.
•  C.J. Wilson: Perhaps one of the more underrated pass rushers in the draft, Wilson has earned numerous honors from conference player of the year to All-Conference USA honors. In four years, the 6'3", 278 pound end has posted 27 sacks and 45.5 tackles for loss. He may be available around the fourth round, but appears to be little more than a situational pass rusher at the next level, something Atlanta does not need.

Linebacker

• Roddrick Muckelroy: A mature, hard working leader on the field whose instincts are off the charts. "He reads his keys and diagnoses plays faster than most LBs in the nation," said Scouts, Inc. A solid all-around performer but with nothing flashy or eye-popping about his stats, his stock is around the third or fourth round.
• O'Brien Schofield: An ok week at the Shrine Game with some improvement at the Senior Bowl could raise this Wisconsin team captain and All-Big Team First Teamer to a second- or third-round talent. A DE in college, Schofield began the conversion to outside linebacker at the Shrine Game where he earned defensive MVP for his three tackle and one interception effort. Pretty good speed for a linebacker, he turned in 12 sacks in 2009 and his 24.5 tackles for loss were second-best in the nation.
• A.J. Edds: Edds, a team leader, is a talented player whose numbers don't exactly reflect him as a player. He could be one of the more underrated linebackers in the draft and could be a steal for Atlanta in the fourth or fifth round, though a good week of practice at the Senior Bowl will improve his stock. Athletic in coverage and a strong and sure tackler, Edds is multi-talented and could become a starter much like former Hawkeye and current Vikings starting linebacker Chad Greenway.
• Sean Weatherspoon: One of the most well-rounded linebackers in college football in the last few seasons, Weatherspoon doesn't do things to excite talent evaluators, though they respect his abilities and know he's a potential starter in the NFL. A late first rounder to early second rounder, he may not be quite what the Falcons are looking for, but he could improve his stock with strong performances during the week at the Senior Bowl. A mature leader blessed with the requisite size and speed to play the position at the next level, Weatherspoon may surprise some people and make the team that drafts him very happy. His 2009 season was another stat-sheet filler, ending the year with 111 tackles, one interception, 4.5 sacks, and 15 tackles for loss.

Cornerback

•  Javier Arenas: One of the most dangerous players in college because of his coverage ability and dangerous ability in the return game, Arenas may not measure up in the NFL. Not blessed with exceptional size or blazing speed, the 5'9", 198 pound corner got by mostly in college with his instincts and athletic IQ. He'll need more than that in college and his technique isn't incredibly strong, though he is a hard worker. He may be at best a nickel corner in the NFL who is currently projected as a third-round prospect.
• Patrick Robinson: The player more than a few mock drafts have the Falcons taking will not just be getting attention from Falcons fans this week in Mobile. He's considered the second-best prospect at the position in the draft and is highly likely to be not only a first-round pick, but quite possibly gone by the time Atlanta picks at No. 19 or 20. A player with the measurables (speed and size) desired in a pro-level corner, but not particularly fluid and has questions about his character. Robinson has the desired swagger and physicality to make a difference. He has first-round talent.
• Syd'Quan Thompson: Excellent speed but below average size, many believe Thompson was one of the better cover corners in the nation last season. First-Team All-Pac-10 honoree had only one interception and 10 pass break ups in his senior season, but as a junior he collected four. A confident cornerback that reads the quarterback well and has good explosion, Thompson is a second-round prospect.
• Kyle Wilson: Wilson is one of the more underrated cornerback prospects in the draft. The 5'10", 186 pound corner's biggest knocks are his height and his less than impressive tackling ability, but everything else he offers is impressive. Above average speed and quickness have helped Wilson become a playmaker in college and could carry on into the NFL. An incredibly fluid and smooth athlete who is aggressive, has a nose for the ball, and doesn't drop many passes that come into his hands. A Second-Team All-American in his senior season that saw him record 40 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He's also an accomplished return man. In 2008 his three punt returns for touchdowns led the nation. Wilson's a hard worker who will probably impress some evaluators this week at the Senior Bowl, but as it stands now he's considered between a second- and fourth-round commodity.
• Trevard Lindley: Entering his senior year Lindley had started 39 straight games, but an ankle injury took him out of action for a month in '09. An athlete with good height (6') and speed, but considered slim, he was a Second-Team All-SEC selection this past year. He has 10 interceptions in his career at Kentucky, though only one came his senior year. His one interception however was returned for a touchdown. To date Lindley is around a third-round grade.

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