For Falcons, safety is position of need

With the NFL draft taking place this weekend, we look at the Falcons’ needs at safety and some potential selections.

Today: Safety

Friday: Defensive line.

SAFETIES

FIRST-ROUND PROSPECT

Louis Delmas, Western Michigan

Height, weight: 5-foot, 11 3/8-inches, 202 pounds

Skinny: Started 11 games as a true freshman for the Broncos. Is a fierce hitter. Some scouts have compared him to Indianapolis’ hard-hitting safety Bob Sanders. Would be a slight reach at 24, but would fill a need. He won’t be around when the Falcons pick in the second round.

MIDDLE-ROUND PROSPECT

Sherrod Martin, Troy State

Height, weight: 6-1, 198

Skinny: Will be a 25-year old rookie. Played in the same secondary with Leodis McKelvin, the No. 11 pick last season by the Buffalo Bills. Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith were on hand for his private workout. The Griffin native also has played some cornerback.

LATE ROUND PROSPECT

Derrick Pegues, Mississippi State

Height, weight: 5-9 5/8, 191

Skinny: Had legal and academic issues in Starkville. Started his career as a cornerback, but played free safety for the last two seasons. Was a spectacular kickoff returner and returned three interceptions for touchdowns. “I had him a little higher at one point,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said. “Nice career, but he just didn’t jump out at you. He’s more of a sixth or seventh round guy.”

ANALYSIS

The Falcons need to find a replacement for strong safety Lawyer Milloy, who was not re-signed after his contract expired.

The Falcons drafted safety Thomas DeCoud in the third round (8th overall) last season, but he played mostly on special teams.

At this year’s NFL scouting combine, the Falcons interviewed all of the top rated safety prospects, including Western Michigan’s Louis Delmas, Alabama’s Rashad Johnson and Missouri’s William Moore. They also had a private workout with Oregon safety Patrick Chung.

If Atlanta doesn’t reach for Delmas in the first round (right now, no safety is projected to be selected in the first round), Martin could become a Falcon.

“Decision makers in this league don’t feel like … pulling the safety tag off the board in the first round because they feel like in the second round you can get pretty good value for some very, very talented safeties,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said.

Overall, the safety group is much improved over last season.

“There is a good mix of strong and free safeties in this draft,” Dimitroff said.