With the NFL draft concluded, Falcons coach Dan Quinn is eager to get an up-close look at his prized new players when the rookie minicamp starts Friday and runs through Sunday.
The team’s seven draft picks, 19 undrafted players and 22 players receiving tryouts reported to the facilities Thursday.
“It’s been an awesome experience going through my first draft,” Quinn said.
The Falcons’ top picks, linebacker Vic Beasley (first round), cornerback Jalen Collins (second) and running back Tevin Coleman (third), will participate and attract most of the attention.
However, wide receiver Justin Hardy (fourth) and Grady Jarrett (fifth) also will be closely monitored. Hardy may be able to compete for the third receiver position, while Jarrett could earn a spot in the defensive line rotation.
“You should see him block,” Quinn said of Hardy. “You should see him go after the ball. He is a terrific competitor.”
Jarrett, of Conyers and the biological son of Falcons great Jessie Tuggle, was considered the steal of draft by many analysts. He lasted to the fifth round because he didn’t fit a lot of defensive two-gap schemes around the league.
He fits fine in Quinn’s system, and the Falcons traded their sixth-round pick to Minnesota to move up nine spots in the fifth to select Jarrett.
“We saw initial quickness off the ball,” Quinn said. “On the defensive line, if you can beat the guy to the punch as an inside player, that’s when you can be really disruptive. What a tough competitor.”
The Falcons picked offensive tackle Jake Rodgers of Eastern Washington in the seventh round.
“He’s a guy that we think has the foot quickness to run the wide-zone and is a good pass-protector, too,” Quinn said. “I think he’s a swing tackle.”
The Falcons’ final pick in the draft was San Jose State defensive back Akeem King.
“He’s a long, long corner,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “That’s where we’ll be playing him at. Obviously, he has played safety as well.”
Quinn also weighed in on King.
“We love the speed, the length and tackling ability,” he said.
There was an underlying theme throughout Quinn’s first draft with the Falcons.
“When we started getting into the later rounds, we had a lot of discussions about the ‘grit’ idea because those are the guys who are really going to have to weather the storm,” Quinn said.
One of the more interesting undrafted signees is Cincinnati left tackle Eric Lefeld.
He converted from offensive line to defensive line as a freshmen in 2011. He was named all-Big East first-team as a left tackle in 2012 and was on the Outland Trophy watch list in 2013. He has to get stronger after lifting 225 pounds only 12 times at his Pro Day.
Also, TCU cornerback Kevin White is a solid undrafted prospect. He finished his career with 146 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries and 27 passes defensed.
Former Auburn standout defensive back Jonathan Mincy, from Southwest DeKalb High, is among the unsigned players receiving a tryout.
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