The 2013 NFL Draft transformed 32 NFL rosters. Around The League will examine the aftershocks in our Draft Fallout series. Next up: The Atlanta Falcons.
The Big Question: Did the Falcons complete their defense?
Thomas Dimitroff dropped breadcrumbs for weeks before the NFL draft. The Falcons general manager hinted that a first-round trade was coming, and he didn't disappoint, swapping Atlanta's 30th overall pick and a third- and sixth-rounder with the St. Louis Rams to move up to No. 22. From there, Dimitroff nabbed Desmond Trufant, a physical cornerback who fills a major need.
Coming within a game of the Super Bowl last season, the Falcons again loom as a favorite in the NFC. Trufant will wear Deion Sanders' No. 21 and figures to start opposite Asante Samuel, but it's premature to call the Washington product the final piece of the puzzle.
Atlanta's pass rush is a question mark. Kroy Biermann and Osi Umenyiora are penciled in on the edge, which probably sounds better in May than it will in November. Osi has gas left in the tank, but the Falcons lack a game-changing presence with an ability to collapse the pocket.
Dimitroff might not be done plucking away at the free-agent scrap heap, but unless someone steps up to crush the quarterback -- that means you, Malliciah Goodman, Cliff Matthews or Jonathan Massaquoi -- Atlanta is missing a wheel.
Three Takeaways
- The Falcons didn't use any of their eight picks on the offensive line, but The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a gang of undrafted prospects stood out for their "super-sized" dimensions at the team's rookie minicamp this week. The group included a trio of 6-foot-7 uglies and a half dozen men north of 300 pounds. But can they play? I'm not in love with this line.
- Big Men, Part 2: Fourth-rounder Levine Toilolo gives the Falcons a 6-foot-8 tight end to develop before Tony Gonzalez rides off into the sunset. The newspaper said Toilolo "flashed some nice hands" and might win early work as a red-zone target. The Falcons were smart to restock this position ahead of time.
- I'm not sure Brian Banks will make it to the regular season, but it's hard not to root for the linebacker. Reports out of the rookie sessions talked about Banks being in the right place at the right time and showing power at the point of attack. The Falcons aren't housing Banks for mere giggles, so they see something. It will be fascinating to watch where this goes.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
