In the midst of shuffling the team’s scouting department, Falcons coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff arrived here for the Senior Bowl on Tuesday.
“I’m looking forward to seeing some of the prospects, for sure,” Quinn said.
The Falcons contingent, which also included assistant general manager Scott Pioli, watched the South practice in nearby Fairhope before heading over to the North practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
This is an important expedition for the Falcons, who hold the 17th pick in the NFL draft, but have just five picks overall because of the artificial stadium noise scandal and a trade to land defensive tackle Grady Jarrett last season. The Falcons will be without their fifth (noise penalty) and sixth round (Jarrett trade) picks.
The Senior Bowl, which will be played on Saturday, will feature 24 players from the SEC, including Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland, who could be available to the Falcons in the first round.
In addition to Ragland, the Falcons are interested in seeing Ohio State wide receiver Braxton Miller, Michigan State center Jack Allen, Missouri center Evan Boehm, Missouri guard Connor McGovern and Eastern Kentucky linebacker Noah Spence.
Here are six key players on the Falcons’ watch list:
Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama: He's considered the top middle linebacker in the draft, but he has asked Senior Bowl director Phil Savage to let him play some outside linebacker as well.
Ragland, who looked comfortable at strongside linebacker during the South team’s practice, hopes to show NFL scouts that he can rush the passer and drop in to coverage. He wants to prove that he can play on three downs and will not have to come out of the game in passing situations.
“It went great,” Ragland said. “Just to get some of the jitters out. It was all about flying around today and trying to get better.”
He returned for his senior season at Alabama last year after receiving a projected second-round grade before the draft.
Before the practices started, Ragland had been interviewed by the Ravens, Chiefs and Packers. He had not yet spoken with the Falcons.
Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State: The former quarterback, who will try to make it in the NFL as a wide receiver, had a fabulous first practice for the North team.
He was the two-time Big Ten offensive player of the year as a quarterback before converting to wide receivers his senior season after missing all of 2014 with a shoulder injury.
He holds the Ohio State record for 88 touchdowns responsible for (passing, rushing and receiving) over his career.
Miller, at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, has good size and demonstrated good hands last season. CBSSports has him rated as the 18th best wide receiver in the draft and he’s projected to be taken in the third round.
He caught 26 passes for 341 yards and and three touchdowns last season for the Buckeyes.
Jack Allen, C, Michigan State: He's played 41 games at center and five a left guard. A two-time first-team All-American, Allen has more than 280 career knockdowns and earned All-Big Ten Academic honors four times.
Evan Boehm, C, Missouri: Boehm started a school-record 52 straight games at center for the Tigers. He's a solid shot-gun snapper and dominates at the point of attack. A former high school wrestling champion, he knows how to handle himself in tight spaces.
Connor McGovern, G, Missouri: McGovern could add some muscle to the middle of the line. He bench-presses over 500 pounds and has lifted 225 pounds 40 times. He also broke school records in the squat (690 pounds five times) and reportedly squatted 785 pounds. While he won't be pushed around, he'll have to show the Falcons that he can move in space in their outside zone blocking scheme.
Noah Spence, LB, Eastern Kentucky: Spence started his career at Ohio State, but was suspended after a second failed drug test and was later ruled permanently ineligible. The five-star recruit had a spectacular sophomore season, leading the Buckeyes with eight sacks, 14.5 tackles for losses and was named to the All-Big Ten team.
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