Senior Bowl practices are officially underway as the Atlanta Falcons begin to scout players to select in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Falcons are eyeing defensive upgrades in the first round while a young wide receiver could come later on to help the offense in 2016. Both Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff are in Mobile and meeting with several prospects that shows which way the team is leaning come April.
According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, the Falcons are looking at young receivers to add to the roster as finding help for Julio Jones is a priority. With Roddy White's future with the team uncertain and question marks hanging over the heads of Nick Williams and Justin Hardy, the Falcons need a wide receiver that can run with Jones down the sidelines. They will not select a player in the first round, but plenty of talent remains as the Falcons have met with a number of options at the Senior Bowl.
McClure reports the Falcons have shown a lot of interest in Ohio State's Braxton Miller. The quarterback turned wide receiver impressed many this season putting up 341 yards and three touchdowns in his first year at the position. Miller told the media that he loves the idea of getting drafted by the Falcons and would love to play with Jones.
"I would love to come help out Julio in Atlanta," Miller said, via ESPN.com. "I would love to wear the red and black. Speed, size, and the way he runs his routes is off the charts. So, I want to be like that. ... The way he runs his routes is crazy. I love it. I'm going to have to hit him up, man, and talk to him about that."
Miller would be a solid third-round pick which could work out well for the Falcons. Other options include former Georgia player Malcom Mitchell or Oklahoma star Sterling Shepard who could all run well with Jones. Quarterback Matt Ryan has made it clear that improving the offense and the receiver position is a priority this offseason and while he will try and work on chemistry with Hardy and Williams, adding more talent will not hurt.
In the first round, the Falcons are leaning towards defense. McClure reports Quinn has taken a lot of interest in linebackers at the draft as Reggie Ragland continues to be a popular name during Senior Bowl practices. Deion Jones out of LSU is gaining attention for his speed at the position while Myles Jack is an option if he is healthy. The Falcons had a defense filled with one-year contracts which means they have a lot of holes to fill in the offseason and that will start with the NFL Draft.