The Falcons released safety Jimmy Williams Tuesday, parting with their top pick of the 2006 NFL Draft.

"It's a football decision," head coach Mike Smith said. "It's a decision we made. We've been evaluating."

Though Williams once was perceived as a potential impact player, he never found his way with the Falcons in two seasons.

Things further declined this offseason when Williams reported to workouts weighing more than 230 pounds. He also missed two of three days of a voluntary minicamp.

From that point, Williams' role diminished further in offseason workouts until he was let go. Williams had steadily fallen to the back of the depth chart behind free-agent signee Erik Coleman, third-round pick Thomas DeCoud and two-year veteran Antoine Harris.

"I knew it could get to this point, but I wasn't sure it would," Williams told the Daily Press in his hometown of Hampton, Va. "They've been upset with my weight, but I didn't think the weight thing was a big issue. I thought they were hiding behind that. Other than that, there weren't any real disputes between me and the Falcons."

Williams, who was selected 37th overall, played in 27 games with seven starts during his two seasons with the Falcons. He had 40 tackles and one interception.

"I never felt like I had a fair shot to show what I can do," Williams told the Daily Press. "But I'm not upset with anybody."

Williams' dismissal leaves imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick as the only player on the roster who competed collegiately at Virginia Tech — although he is under indefinite suspension by the NFL. When Williams was drafted, he joined a roster that included Vick, cornerback DeAngelo Hall, offensive lineman Matt Lehr and quarterback Bryan Randall as former Hokies on the team.

Williams, Randall and Lehr were released and Hall was traded to Oakland this offseason.

Williams also headlined a five-player draft class — the smallest in team history — that has not produced a full-time starter. That draft class followed the seven-player class of 2004, that has had six players either traded, released or not re-signed when their contracts expired. Wide receiver Michael Jenkins, the second of two first-round picks (Hall was the first) is the only player on Atlanta's roster from the '04 draft class.

After Williams slipped out of the first round in the '06 draft — he was a projected top-15 pick — the Falcons traded up in the second-round to land him.

The Falcons hoped Williams would challenge veteran cornerback Jason Webster for the starting job, but Webster held onto his spot until getting hurt. An ankle injury prevented Williams' from taking over as the starter until the end of the season.

Williams was moved to free safety last season but he could not unseat starter Chris Crocker. Things got worse when then-coach Bobby Petrino benched and de-activated Williams for two games for what Petrino said was poor play on special teams.

Disappointed with Stone

Backup strong safety Daren Stone met with Smith following his arrest Sunday on a drunken driving charge. Stone participated in the next-to-last offseason practice but he did not comment on his arrest. Smith did and he was not pleased.

"There isn't really anything I can say other than I'm disappointed, that is obvious," Smith said. "We're disappointed as an organization. I spoke with Daren and again, any of those conversations I would like to keep private."

Fontenot signed

The Falcons signed seventh-round draft choice Wilrey Fontenot. The safety played at the University of Arizona.