After addressing issues on defense during the first two days, the Falcons spent the final day of the NFL draft adding three players on offense and a defensive back.
“Every draft we go into we have a philosophy,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “We came into this draft knowing that we had certain holes that we were going to fill. We had certain areas of depth that we had to continue to fill. It really is contingent on where your roster is as far as how you approach the draft.”
The Falcons added some pass-rush help in the first round by drafting UCLA defensive end Takkarist McKinley and some linebacker depth and special-teams help with LSU’s Duke Riley in the third round.
“We’re excited to add Duke,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “He was a fantastic leader for them. He started this year and he has terrific experience playing special teams. He’s got speed that he plays with that fits terrifically into our style. We clearly know how to feature him in that role. He can contribute on all four downs.”
In the fourth round, the Falcons addressed their need at guard by selecting Oregon State’s Sean Harlow. He played offensive tackle in college and will be converted to guard.
The Falcons have an opening at right guard with the retirement of Chris Chester.
“I think it will be fine,” Harlow said. “I practiced it a bunch in college. I’m comfortable doing it. It was something I was going to have to do from high school to college … move inside. I just ended up outside most of the time. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of playing inside, and get after it.”
Quinn said Harlow will also work at center.
In the fifth round, the Falcons selected San Diego State cornerback Damontae Kazee (149th overall), Wyoming running back Brian Hill (156th overall) and Drake tight end Eric Saubert (174th overall).
“We went hard and traded up (on Day 1) and on Day 2 we were able to trade back and get more picks so that we could continue to build the depth on our team,” Dimitroff said.
After sending their third- and seventh-round picks to Seattle to move up five spots to grab McKinley, the Falcons dealt their 63rd pick to Buffalo to fall back to 75th, in the third round, and picked up two fifth-round picks.
There was a lot of interest in the 63rd pick in the draft.
“I was really amazed with how much interest there was in that spot,” Dimitroff said.
Kazee will play nickel back and safety for the Falcons.
“I played some safety at San Diego State when I didn’t have a wide receiver on my side,” Kazee said.
Hill did not expect the Falcons to select him.
“No one in the house was expecting the Falcons, but a lot of teams passed on me in this draft,” Hill said. “The Falcons just got the best running back in this draft in the fifth round.”
Hill, who rushed for more than 4,000 yards in college, was aware that the Falcons have running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.
“We know they had two good running backs and didn’t think they were shopping for a running back, but I’m grateful that they were,” Hill said.
He spoke to the Falcons after being drafted.
“They told me that I had a great workout with (running backs) coach (Keith) Carter when he came to Wyoming,” Hill said. “They love the way I play. I just represent what they want in a running back.”
Hill believes he can fit the Falcons’ outside zone rushing attack.
“We ran everything from outside zone to inside zone to power,” Hill said. “We ran gap schemes and zones. Any way we would run the ball, we did it at Wyoming.”
Hill is more of a power running back than Freeman and Coleman.
“My style is violent,” Hill said. “I run the ball with a passion. I run the ball with a will not to go down.”
Hill thinks he’s going to fit in the team’s running-back room just nicely.
“I’m going to learn everything that I can from them,” Hill said. “I know they are veterans and have been in the league and they know how to produce in the league. I’m going to go in and soak everything up.”
Saubert was highly productive at Drake. He caught 190 passes for 2,253 yards and 21 touchdowns.
“He’s a ‘move’ tight end who has the athletic ability to run routes and shake people,” Dimitroff said. “It’s not going to be that easy for a secondary to stay in phase against a guy like him because he can run and he can jump.”
The Falcons started working on signing undrafted free agents after wrapping up the draft in the fifth round.
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