Falcons set to start 2015 draft meetings

With an eye toward upgrading the talent level of the team and improving an anemic pass rush, the Falcons’ personnel men are set to start their 2015 draft meetings this week.

While getting stronger in the trenches remains a priority on offense and defense, the Falcons also must restock at wide receiver and defensive tackle and perhaps find a pass-catching tight end, some linebackers and a nickel back.

Underclassmen, such as Georgia running back Todd Gurley and defensive end Leonard Floyd, have until Jan. 15 to declare for the draft.

But priority No. 1 for the Falcons, no matter whether there’s an overhaul in the front office or if owner Arthur Blank elects to hire a new head coach, is to find a pass rush.

A request to interview general manager Thomas Dimitroff about the draft was declined through a team spokesman.

The Falcons’ pass rush was nationally ridiculed during the game on “Monday Night Football” against Green Bay by ESPN analyst Jon Gruden.

“This is like backyard football where you’ve got to count to ‘five Mississippi’ before you can rush.” Gruden said. “Atlanta has to find some pass rushers in next year’s draft. That has been the Achilles heel of this football team.”

While the Falcons’ draft position could be adversely affected as many as 10 slots if they win the NFC South, there is some good news: The NFL draft of 2015 is deep with pass-rushing talent, wide receivers and defensive tackles, which roughly matches three of their primary needs.

“The combo defensive end/outside linebacker, there are a lot of them,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said. “There are a lot of those guys that you can pick up to get after the quarterback maybe up to the third, fourth or fifth round.”

Unless the Falcons trade up, they will not have a shot at the top pass-rushing talent in the draft.

Nebraska’s Randy Gregory and Missouri’s Shane Ray are considered the top two pass rushers in the draft. Also, USC’s Leonard Williams is a bigger defensive end with some versatility.

Gregory has been compared with Denver Broncos’ pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware. Ray was named first-team all-American by the Walter Camp Foundation.

“They are probably going to go top five the way it looks right now,” Kiper said. “They are more 4-3 defensive ends. Gregory could play on his feet at outside linebacker.”

The underclassmen could add to the talent available.

Vic Beasley of Clemson and Floyd may add to the defensive talent pool.

“Right now, depending on how many of these underclassmen leave early, Beasley from Clemson, if you put him on his feet, he’s a consistent player,” Kiper said. “He has power and speed off the edge.”

Floyd’s status is up in the air.

“I don’t know if he’ll come out,” Kiper said. “He’s a third-year sophomore who had an up-and-down season, but he’s got a ton of talent.”

Kentucky’s Alvin Dupree is considered a second-round prospect.

“In the third to fourth round, Zach Hodges from Harvard, Tony Washington from Oregon would be a couple of kids who would be interesting as 3-4 outside linebacker,” Kiper said.

Virginia’s Eli Harold, an athletic edge rusher who has seven sacks this season, declared for the draft last week.

“He has the chance to be a really good player,” Kiper said. “After the workouts, which should be impressive for him, I’d say late first, early second.”

Utah’s Nate Orchard (6-4, 255), LSU’s Danielle Hunter (6-6, 240) and Arkansas’ Trey Flowers (6-3 1/2, 269) are also fine pass-rushing prospects.

Four-time Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White, who turned 33 in November, is on pace for 72 catches, which is below the standard he set from 2007 to 2012, when he averaged 93 catches per season.

While White signed a four-year extension last offseason, his long-term replacement is not on the roster.

Alabama’s junior Amari Cooper is the top wide receiver in the draft. The Falcons won’t have a shot at him, barring another major trade.

“He’s a top-five pick,” Kiper said. “He’s not Julio Jones or A.J. Green. They are comparing him to Marvin Harrison.

The wide receiver class was deep in 2014 and will be again in 2015. Mike Evans, Sammie Watkins, Brandin Cooks and Kelvin Benjamin all have made impacts as rookies.

Arizona’s John Brown, Green Bay’s Davante Adams, Jacksonville’s Allen Robinson and Philadelphia’s Jordan Matthews have been finds, too.

There are other talented players behind Cooper in the draft.

“(Auburn’s) Sammie Coates is not as polished in terms of route running and consistency, but he can beat you vertically down the field,” Kiper said. “That presents great value. I think he’s a second round pick, maybe a little higher if he has a great workout.”

The bad boy of the class is Dorial Green-Beckham who was kicked out of the Missouri program and transferred to Oklahoma. He has first-round talent, but character concerns. With the NFL’s new conduct policy, teams may not be so quick to take players with checkered pasts.

Louisville’s DeVante Parker, West Virginia’s Kevin White, Florida State’s Rashad Greene and Kansas State’s Tyler Lockett are other fine wide receiver prospects.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, who leads the NFL in receptions and is set to the face the Falcons on Sunday, was s sixth-round pick in 2010 out of Central Michigan.

“An underrated kid is Titus Davis at Central Michigan,” Kiper said. “It’s another year, if you want a wide receiver you can get one.”

The Falcons spent $58 million on defensive tackles Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson during the last free-agency period. Soliai turns 31 on Dec. 30 and defensive tackle Corey Peters could be a free agent.

“There are a lot of defensive tackles who could go fairly high,” Kiper said. “Danny Shelton from Washington is a nose tackle. He could play in any scheme, but the 3-4 teams will look at him.”