Falcons waive Southward, activate Akeem King

FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Falcons waved cornerback Dezmen Southward and moved cornerback Akeem King up to the 53-man roster on Friday.

King, 6-1, 212 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the seventh round (249th overall) of the 2015 NFL draft out of San Jose State. He recorded 71 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and two passes defensed as a senior in 2014. He spent the first eight weeks as a member of the practice squad.

Southward, 6-2, 210 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the third round (68th overall) in the 2014 NFL draft  out of Wisconsin. He has seen action in 18 total games over the past two seasons with the team, and has recorded 21 total tackles and one interception.