Falcons scout defensive players at combine

Indianapolis — Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff is looking hard at the cornerbacks and defensive ends at the combine.

The cornerback group is said to be deep. After Ohio State’s Malcolm Jenkins and Illinois’ Vontae Davis there is another set of talented cornerbacks.

“The kid from Connecticut, Darius Butler, I thought he had the quickest feet and change of direction at the Senior Bowl,” NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. “Not as physical as you would like, but still a good kid.”

Wake Forest’s Alphonso Smith, Oregon’s Jairus Byrd and Vanderbilt’s D.J. Moore are other intriguing cornerbacks in the draft.

“They are smaller,” Mayock said. “What they run is going to be important. What my buddies in the league tell me, slow and short is bad at the corner position. I don’t want to get carried away, but I really like them on tape. But if they run a 4.58, that’s going to hurt.”