There’s a reason no team in the history of the NFC South has repeated as division champion. The competitiveness of the division is always among the league’s best and the arms race to outdo the other franchises in the NFC South is consistent and endless.

A look at the defensive statistics of three major categories (run yards allowed, pass yards allowed and scoring allowed) shows one of the reasons the division is up for grabs every year. There is no clear and consistently dominant defense from one season to the next.

There are few trends to see in the division since 2008, but a couple jump out. The Falcons, since 2008, have consistently improved their run defense, jumping from 25th in ’08 to 10th in ’09 and ’10 to sixth last season. The Bucs have performed near the bottom of the league in this category in that same time span, finishing 32nd last season, 28th in ’10 and 32nd in ’09.

What does it all mean? That remains to be seen, but the trends are encouraging for the Falcons continued improvement. Mike Nolan came to Atlanta in the offseason to assume the defensive coordinator position and he has history on his side. Nolan’s history as a coordinator is long and sprinkled with success. He has a reputation for taking over a defense and delivering immediate improvements.

While the Bucs and Panthers are young teams, improvement is expected from both of them in 2012. Both ranked near the bottom of the league in all three defensive statistics. Improvement is likely, but big jumps may be a year away. The Saints experienced some turnover on the defensive side of the ball, but welcome a bright defensive mind in Steve Spagnuolo to head the defense. Some of New Orleans’ key defensive players will miss some time to begin the season because of suspensions.

The Falcons return all starters from last year’s defense with the exception of one, Curtis Lofton who left for New Orleans. In addition to the returning core, they’ve added four-time Pro Bowl corner Asante Samuel. Under Nolan’s direction with the cohesion in place and the potential of Samuel, the Falcons could be primed for a breakout defensive season. Improvement on every defensive metric listed above will not only make Atlanta’s defense the best in the NFC South, but possibly one of the best in the league.

During the offseason we’ll take a look at a hot topic on the Talk About the Falcons department of FalconsLife and examine what’s on the minds of Falcons fans.

One of the stories that has emerged as the offseason has progressed for the Falcons is the pending third season for outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. With the exit of Curtis Lofton, Weatherspoon will be pressed for a more dominant leadership role. When the Falcons returned to Flowery Branch to begin their workouts a few weeks ago, Weatherspoon shared that he will be responsible for receiving the defensive calls from the sidelines and ensuring everyone is lined up and on the same page.

On a recent appearance with 790 The Zone’s Archer and Bell, Weatherspoon also said he’d be doing a little more pass rushing in 2012 after a 2011 season that saw him demonstrate some ability in that area with four sacks.

This week on FalconsLife, fans have been discussing Weatherspoon, but one topic reminds everyone not to forget about another starting linebacker. Started by VaderMan, the topic poses the debate: Pass Rush, Spoon vs. Nicholas.

VaderMan acknowledges the talent of Weatherspoon, but thinks Stephen Nicholas has underrated pass rush skills and he put a prediction on the table as well.

“I think it is very close, and again Spoon is the superior of the two however, if given the same opportunities to blitz… I am going to bet that Nich comes up with more sacks,” VaderMan wrote.

Another poster, Smiler11, shared Nicholas’ impressive stats from the last two years of college: 31 tackles for loss and 15 sacks and also pointed out that in his first two seasons with the Falcons in 2007 and ’08, he was used at times as a defensive end.

“They are both pretty good for 4-3 olb’s,” Smiler11 wrote. “Spoon is bigger, stronger and faster but I think Nicholas is the better pass rusher.”

Nicholas didn’t record any sacks last season after struggling with health issues all season. He started only eight games and appeared in only ten. His career high sacks came in 2009 when he recorded three.

ProFootballFocus.com thinks highly of Nicholas entering this season, despite his down year statistically due to injuries.

“Nicholas earned very respectable run defense and pass rush ratings (+3.8 and +2.3, respectively),” they wrote on March 16 of this year. “As a result, he will likely see increased time due to a lack of depth.”

Given that new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will employ a more aggressive defensive scheme in 2012 and will rely on a variety of pass rushers from all over the field, Nicholas could be an overlooked weapon right now.

With an offseason to return to health and a scheme that is placing emphasis on the two outside linebackers, Nicholas is in a prime position to be a vital pass rusher, something his skill set says he can excel at.

Who will win the battle of numbers between Weatherspoon and Nicholas remains to be seen, but if they both play as capable in the coming season, it could mean great things for Atlanta’s new-look defense.

While the NFL Network is conducting its Top 100 players of 2012 , many in the media are issuing their own responses to the list. NFL Network’s is unique in that it is using rankings generated by active players in the NFL. So far on that list, the Falcons have two players in the 100-61 range.

CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco just released his own list and he’s got four Falcons players on the list, one of which may surprise some folks.

Number 95 on the list is running back Michael Turner. Turner was No. 52 on last year’s list and he was No. 88 on the NFL Network’s list.

At No. 75 is linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, unranked on Prisco’s list last season. Prisco says Weatherspoon will become the star of Atlanta’s defense. “As he became more comfortable with his responsibilities he looked much improved,” Prisco wrote. The Falcons intend to let Weatherspoon be one of the leaders of the defense in 2012, with play-calling duties as well. If he performs well, he’ll be well on his way to stardom as Prisco predicts.

Roddy White showed up next at No. 61. Last season he was No. 36 on Prisco’s list. On Wednesday evening White was named No. 65 on NFL Network’s list. Prisco says that as Julio Jones continues to grow into Atlanta’s offense, he anticipates White will be able to do even more, calling him one of the one better receivers in the NFC.

The last Falcon on the list, Matt Ryan, came in at No. 48. Last season he was No. 50 on the list. There’s a lot of speculation among the Falcons’ fanbase as to whether Ryan will make the NFL Network’s Top 100. Prisco thinks one of the few things keeping Ryan from taking the next step into a new status of league quarterback is playoff wins.

More than 800 Falcons season ticket holders joined Falcons owner and chairman Arthur Blank, president and CEO Rich McKay, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith, among others, at the Buckhead Theatre on Wednesday night for the annual State of the Franchise meeting.

Season ticket holders were front and center to hear the leadership of the organization speak and opportunities were provided for them to turn the tables and speak directly to Blank and company.

The energy in the building was electric as the evening got started. Falcons announcer, Wes Durham, the emcee for the night, felt the enthusiasm of the crowd and asked a question he already knew the answer to: “If we had to go tonight, could everybody be ready to go?”

Dimitroff started off the evening clearing up a few rumbles he’d heard during the offseason. The GM heard all the talk of inactivity during the offseason and he was on the stage to clear that up.

“We were very active in the offseason, contrary to what the pundits are saying,” Dimitroff said.

He spoke about the Falcons’ commitment to re-signing their own players, something they were able to finally demonstrate this offseason when they brought back three valuable members of the ’08 draft class, Kroy Biermann, Harry Douglas and Thomas DeCoud.

Then Dimitroff began to speak about one of the biggest moves of the offseason. He said started his sentence, “We worked a trade…” and the crowd’s immediate applause drowned him out.

The trade he was referencing was with Philadelphia for cornerback Asante Samuel, a move the State of the Franchise attendees clearly saluted.

Moments before Smith was introduced, Dimitroff wanted to take the public forum to remind everyone of one other thing he’s heard a little about over the past year.

“We have no regrets about our move last year to acquire Julio Jones,” he said.

Then Durham introduced Smith with a salute of his own, acknowledging the coach’s four-year run making franchise history.

“Success is not a destination, but a constant journey and he epitomizes that by the way he coaches this football team. Your coach, Coach Mike Smith.”

The crowd erupted for the head coach and Smith could only smile and comment on the crowd’s game face for the evening.

At one point during Smith’s discussion to the fans, a shout of “Super Bowl” emerged from way in the back of the building.

Smith squinted to see through the lights at the fan and said, “I like your attitude.”

In addition to the draft’s addition of several large players to beef up the offensive line and the aggressive addition of Samuel, the Falcons added new coaches to the staff, including defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, both of whom were present. Special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong was also on stage with the front office.

Smith shared how what the new coaching additions mean to him and how he anticipates them to make an impact. With the new eyes, ears and minds present, the head coach believes the next step can be taken for the players on the field.

“We’ve got the players and I really feel we’ve got the best coaching staff in the National Football League,” Smith said of the staff’s 169 years of NFL coaching experience.

Smith wouldn’t discuss some of the changes the new coaches would implement in the coming season, but he guaranteed different things for 2012.

Koetter, Nolan and Armstrong all took opportunities to speak to the crowd about their respective phases of the game.

Koetter guaranteed there would be screen passes in the offense next season. Nolan said he felt happy with the talent he has on the defense to take them to the next level. Armstrong shared his belief that there is a talented return man already on the Falcons’ roster.

Before the question and answer session, Blank closed the evening with his own comments.

Blank reiterated the belief that Atlanta has the best leadership in the NFL. He acknowledged everything is ultimately about the players on the field, but the direction and coaching provided is still paramount.

Under Blank’s ownership, the Falcons have brought the franchise back to respectibility and intends to keep it moving forward and the State of the Franchise event is yet another reason why he’s created a product that the fans of his franchise are so devoted to.

That devotion will only get things so far and Blank reminded everyone what the ultimate and final purpose for the Atlanta Falcons is.

“We understand this is about rings and about championships.”

When the Falcons re-signed Thomas DeCoud during the offseason, it became clear that Atlanta is hitching its back line of defense to DeCoud, a starter since 2009, and William Moore for the foreseeable future.

After a down year in 2010 that saw DeCoud bring down only one interception, the 2008 third-round draft pick bounced back with a four interception effort last season. Secondary coach Tim Lewis said over the weekend that he feels like DeCoud took major strides during last season and has shown an ability to continue to grow.

“He had a bunch of tackles for us,” Lewis said. “He continues to make all the calls back there for the secondary, getting people lined up. He does a fantastic job with that type of thing. He’s a smart guy and athletic. He was better this past year than he was my first year here.”

Lewis’ first season as a coach with the Falcons was in 2010. He’s banking on continued development from DeCoud as the signal caller of the defensive backs and he knows it’s still a work in progress. Entering his fourth season, DeCoud, according to Lewis, needs to continue to find the comfort level with that role on the defense in tandem with making plays on the ball.

“He makes calls, he gets people lined up,” Lewis said. “The more comfortable he is on the back end getting people lined up, he can get himself lined up faster and see the ball faster and make more plays on the ball.”

As the comfort comes, so will the recognition for what DeCoud is capable of. Lewis said making more plays is what they want from him and if he can do that, “get his hands on some balls,” the league will recognize DeCoud as one of the better young safeties around.

DeCoud’s defensive backfield partner, Moore, struggled with some injuries last season, but his development track is still going in the right direction. An injury-filled rookie season saw Moore only play in two games, but once he stepped into the starting lineup in 2010, he started making plays and had five interceptions. Though last season was a step back statistic-wise for Moore, Lewis thinks the sky is the limit for the strong safety. He’s especially excited about what a healthy Moore can bring to new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s scheme.

“He looks good right now this offseason,” Lewis said. “He’s ready to roll. He’s learning a new system, as we all are. I think it’s going to benefit him. This system will aid William. You’ll see him more often that you have in the past.”

An offseason that anticipated change at the cornerback position for the Falcons turned out to be correct. However, instead of subtraction, Atlanta improved with addition, keeping the core of cornerbacks from the 2011 roster and added Asante Samuel, one of the best corners in the NFL.

Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson return to the Falcons along with Dominique Franks, Chris Owens and Darrin Walls and the addition of Samuel give the Falcons a lot of talent and what secondary coach Tim Lewis calls “limitless possibilities.” The top three of Robinson, Grimes and Samuel give the Falcons top talent at the two starting cornerback positions and the nickel position, a role that is considered a starter’s job now.

It’s unclear just yet who will man the outside and the inside for the Falcons this coming season between the three. Lewis said on Friday at the rookie minicamp that Robinson has the most experience on the inside.

“I don’t think he’s (Samuel) played any nickel,” Lewis said. “I went back and looked at his career and talked to him, I don’t think he’s ever played inside. But I do know that Dunta Robinson played the nickel position while he was in Houston and had some success with it. We’re going to take a look at him in there and of course the guys that we had last year. We’ll see how that goes, but the fact of the matter is they’ve got some talent back there and we’re excited about working with them.”

The talent on the table at corner will allow the Falcons to do some new things and improve a pass defense ranked 20th last season and 22nd in 2010. With the newly created depth that Franks, Owens and Walls, all players that got valuable snaps last season, means the talent on the table should be capable of improving the pass defense’s performance in 2012.

“People in this league love to throw the ball,” defensive backs coach Joe Danna said. “You can never have enough good cover guys. I think it’ll be a good thing for us.”

Danna said between Lewis and new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, there shouldn’t be a problem creating packages that allow all the corners to creatively play vital roles on Atlanta’s defense. Lewis explained the addition of Samuel on the field and Nolan at the helm will allow the Falcons to incorporate some new looks that will combat the increasingly pass-happy NFL.

“I think mixing in pressure, zone and man-to-man, those types of things are what coach Nolan brings to the table, the variety,” Lewis said. “You’ll see a completely different package. We’ll be using our athletes in different ways. The ability to keep people off-guard and off-balance is what he’s going to bring.”

The Falcons concluded their first rookie minicamp under head coach Mike Smith on Sunday. Forty six players attended the three day camp, designed to introduce the rookie class into the Falcons offense, defense and special teams. Of those 46, ten players were working on a try-out basis only. Fullback Lee Meisner, wide receiver Kenny Stafford and tight end Aron White were all signed on Sunday.

Smith felt the minicamp was a success because the coaching staff was able to devote all their time and energy to the rookies and young players present for the weekend session.

“Focusing on the young guys was the most significant difference, you didn’t have to worry about anything,” Smith said. “Probably the negative thing is that you didn’t get an opportunity to compare them to the guys that are actually on your roster. We’ll get an opportunity to do that the rest of the offseason. I think it’s a nice way to ease the guys in. They don’t have to worry about working with the older guys. It’s all guys that are on the same playing field in terms of their knowledge of our offense.”

After the camp ended on Sunday, the Falcons announced the signing of four of their draft class rookies. Guard/center Peter Konz, fullback Bradie Ewing, safety Charles Mitchell and defensive tackle Travian Robertson were all signed to their rookie contracts.

Smith was pleased with what he saw from his draft class during the minicamp, though third-round tackle Lamar Holmes was unable to practice because of an injury.

“I really thought our draft picks looked very good, the entire draft class,” Smith said. “Travian, the big defensive tackle, Mitchell on defense and Massaquoi, those guys showed a lot of what we saw on film. It carried over. Offensively, unfortunately Lamar wasn’t able to particiupate. Bradie did a nice job getting indoctrinated.”

The Falcons’ top pick, Peter Konz spent time at both guard and center positions during the camp. Though he was used predominately as a center during his college career at Wisconsin, the Falcons have intentions of giving him a shot at guard as well. The minicamp was an important step in the process for Konz to convert to the new position for Atlanta.

“Peter, I think we saw that he can play both positions and that was something that we wanted to make sure we get cleared up here at this camp,” Smith said.

The Falcons will begin their offseason organized team activities on May 29 and will conduct a full-team minicamp from June 19-21.

The Falcons fanbase has spent the offseason dreaming of what new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will do with Atlanta’s defense. The long-time NFL coordinator’s career has been littered with success and the fanbase hopes he’ll be able to bring that same success to a largely young and hungry defense.

Defensive line coach Ray Hamilton shared some insight into what he expects from the defensive line inside Nolan’s scheme on Sunday. Nolan has mentioned in the past that he prefers multiple linemen getting sacks instead of having one or two premier pass rushers racking up the totals. Hamilton broke down that theory a little, explaining a pressure-intensive scheme will send players from different positions.

“We have a pressure-type defense,” Hamilton said. “If you’re pressuring, you’re sending other people, sending some linebackers and defensive backs. It’s kind of like the Jets. The sacks are going to be spread around. If you’re only rushing four guys, then your sacks will be mostly from your defensive line. Our system, we have other guys rushing and coming in there like that. The whole key is to put pressure on the quarterback. This is a quarterback-driven league. We want to make him make quick decisions and hopefully he’ll make some wrong decisions and we’ll get some interceptions and sacks and everyone will be productive.”

Hamilton said he thinks Lawrence Sidbury and Cliff Matthews are two players that will be able to help in that pressure package.

“We’ve got a good group of young guys,” he said. “(Sidbury) and Matthews, those guys, they have to come back this year, get better, improve and show that they can be productive day in and day out. We expect that him and Matthews will come in and compete for jobs.”

Head coach Mike Smith has preached the philosophy of rotating defensive linemen since he’s been in Atlanta. Hamilton says that won’t change with Nolan at the head of the defense.

“Every team in the league now, practically, has seven or eight defensive linemen that they play with,” he said. “You try to roll those guys and keep them fresh. We’re the only position, besides the offensive line, on the field that is making contact and wrestling with somebody every single snap. It wears you out.”

Returning is Kerry Meier, who expects to make a bigger impact, a year removed from a knee injury. Kevin Cone and Drew Davis both spent time with the Falcons last year, mostly on the practice squad. Cone was promoted to the active roster for the final game of the season.

Weems leaves big shoes to fill, not just as a receiver, but also on special teams. Weems was a key player on special teams, serving as the kick and punt returner, but also was a stand out in coverage teams. Head coach Mike Smith said special teams will be a vital piece of figuring out who will fill the fourth and fifth wide receiver positions.

“I think that fourth and fifth position at the wide receiver, a lot of it will be dictated by what they can do on special teams,” Smith said on Sunday. “That receiver is normally a significant contributor on special teams. The guy we had last year, Weems, did a real good job. ”

On Friday, wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie said the players that fill the shoes of Weems, will be expected to be players like Weems, key contributors on special teams and able to come up in a pinch as a wide receiver.

While Cone and Davis have a leg up on the competition, there are a number of wide receivers in the rookie minicamp that could possibly fight for those roles as well, but no matter what, special teams play is significant.

“Those guys (Cone and Davis), I think, have more knowledge than they did last year,” Smith said. “It’s really going to come down to what they do on special teams. Those two spots, we need to have someone that can play in what we call our ‘Big-Four’ special teams.”

It’s a message that has been delivered to the players. Cone understands clearly how he can make the roster and is hoping to do something about it.

“Special teams are huge,” Cone said. “I want to be on every special teams. That’s the main key to me getting on the field. I’m trying to improve everyday on special teams.”

One of the six players that is at the Falcons’ rookie minicamp that isn’t a rookie is Kevin Cone.

In fact, his story is unique because he’s the only player in the building this weekend that spent time on the active roster last year.

With injuries threatening multiple positions near the end of the year, Cone was promoted to the 53-man roster from the practice squad for the final game of the season. He saw time on special teams.

Cone thinks his experience last season gives him some advantages as he begins 2012, even though the offense is under a new coordinator.

“Just doing this rookie camp, it’s a great opportunity for me, coming in with some knowledge of the offense and I can increase my knowledge of the offense,” he said. “Last year, I was pretty dependent on one position. Now, I feel like I can move around. I’m starting to become more familiar with the offense. I just know it better.”

Head coach Mike Smith and other members of the coaching staff have said the final two wide receiver positions will be critical to special teams. Any player assuming those roles will need to be a contributor on special teams. Cone said he knows that’s the main key to him getting on the field and wants to fill any roles needed on special teams.

The idea that there’s a roster spot up for grabs isn’t something he fights with much, but he admits he considers it.

“I think about it, but at the same time it’s available for everyone,” he said. “All these rookies, everyone out there. I feel like if I become more familiar with the offense, there’s more opportunity for me to get on the field. I’m just trying to get better.”

Cone isn’t approaching this year with grand ideas about becoming the next college-free-agent-turned-success-story like Victor Cruz of the Giants did last season. Sure, it’d be great, but his plan is to just contribute to wins any way he can. No matter what he’s doing, if he’s helping the Falcons win, he’s good with that.

But the taste of the 53-man roster late last  year, although brief, has him motivated to make 2012 feature a longer stay on the active roster.

“It was unreal,” he said. “It was such an honor and a privilege. It really lit a fire under me. It showed me that I’ve got to make the most of my opportunities. I want to turn it up even more.”

Falcons 2012 fifth-round pick Jonathan Massaquoi didn’t have the kind of senior season he expected. After a junior year that turned some heads and a ranking of ninth in the country with 13.5 sacks, his production slipped a little last season. He still earned first-team honors in his conference and recorded six sacks.

Many felt Massaquoi’s dip was due to added weight as he entered his senior season. On Saturday, Smith confirmed that the 6-foot-2, 264-pound end was in fact heavier for his senior year, but he’s entered camp with a new appearance.

“We felt looking at him as a junior and then as a senior, he looked to be heavier as a senior,” Smith said. “He played a little lighter as a junior when he had more production. His weight is down and he looks a lot leaner than he did in the season.”

Smith sees an explosive player and thinks the version of Massaquoi that he’s getting is closer to the junior year Massaquoi.

Ultimately all Smith wants from his young defensive end is pass-rushing production. He doesn’t think weight is important as long as the production occurs.

“The skill set we liked about Jonathan when he was going through this draft process was that he could rush the passer,” Smith said. “That was a trait he had. He’s got very good speed around the corner. Weight is not as important when you start talking about guys rushing the passer. There are a lot of guys that have gotten a lot of sacks in this league that are 260 pounds.”

Massaquoi’s 20.5 tackles for loss during the 2010 season tied the Troy school record for second most ever. In 25 starts at the university, he recorded 128 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, 12 QB pressures, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three pass deflections and one blocked kick.

After practice each day, three rookie minicampers field kicks, balls sent flying high and deep from a machine.

Down at the other end of the field stand Cody Pearcy, James Rodgers and Marcus Jackson fielding the kicks. First they catch one ball. Then try to catch two, one after the other. Then they attempt three. Rodgers is the first on Saturday to catch three balls at once, catching two first, then throwing one into the air as he catches the final kick before catching that ball as well.

They all have returner experience and they’re in rookie minicamp to prove they have a shot at a job that is possibly open with the exit of last-year’s returner, Eric Weems. James Rodgers has perhaps the best resume as a returner, filling the role for a few seasons at Oregon State, returning both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown.

Although rookie minicamp is about competition, head coach Mike Smith isn’t so sure the replacement for Weems will come from the ranks of the college free agents.

“There are a couple of guys that have done it,” Smith said. “We’re giving some guys some opportunities here to catch some balls, but I don’t know if there’s anybody right now that would be a guy that we’d be looking at. There’s guys on our squad that have done it in the past. Dominique Franks and Harry Douglas, those are the two guys right now that would probably be the leading candidates to return punts. We’ve got a number of guys that have returned kickoffs that are on our squad as well.”

The odds are always stacked for any college free agent entering camp so Smith’s admission shouldn’t come as a surprise. However, as long as they employ an attitude like Pearcy’s, there’s always a chance something truly interesting can happen.

“I’m here to do whatever they feel like I need to do,” Pearcy said. “If they want me to be a backup, I’ll  be a backup. If they want me to be a gunner, I’ll be a gunner. I’m here to do whatever this teams needs and to help them get better.”

The second day of Falcons rookie minicamp was a little different from the first. The unseasonable heat of Friday was replaced with a cooler and drizzling day of practice.

Saturday’s practice saw a few moments where perhaps some light bulbs were going off for a few of the players. Safety Charles Mitchell had the lone interception of the full-team drills, Kenny Stafford made a few nice falling-down catches and Michael Calvin closed the practice with a catch on a slant across the field. Calvin turned the corner and showed some of the speed that helped him get into camp as he ran to the endzone.

Although head coach Mike Smith thinks many players are overwhelmed with the volume of what they’ve been handed, he still likes the progressions that are being made. After camp ends Sunday, they’ll return Monday to begin weight training and the veterans return to the facility on Tuesday to begin coaching sessions. It’s only been two days, however, and Smith feels there’s a long way to go.

“I think it’s too early (to form opinions),” Smith said. “I like the energy of everybody out there.  I think the guys are very energetic and willing to go out there and play. There are guys that know they’re fighting for a job. It starts right now. Some of them made some very good impressions. It’ll be interesting to see how they respond and react when they’re with the veterans.”

The early impressions on each draft pick are encouraging for Smith. Center/guard Peter Konz has been impressive with his strength and brute force on the field early on. Tackle Lamar Holmes is being held out for precautionary measures for a “minor issue” with his foot.

Smith said on Friday that he anticipates fullback Bradie Ewing to do more than just blow linebackers up as he blocks for the running back.

“Bradie is a guy that’s very athletic, can adjust and he is a guy that has pretty good hands,” Smith said. “He doesn’t have the statistics in college, as far as running the football so you think he is just a lead blocker and that’s all he does. He does catch the football, catches it very well and he has good hands.”

Smith said he sees a slimmer Jonathan Massaquoi on the field that what the former Troy pass rusher showed during his senior year, aiding in his explosiveness.

Smith also mentioned the play of Travian Robertson and Charles Mitchell:

• “Travian is a big, strong defensive tackle. He’s more of an anchor point that a move guy. When we were doing our due dillgence in the draft, it’s quite apparent that he was strong. You can see that strength not only in the weight room, but also out there on the field.”
• “Mitchell the safety has done a nice guy. He’s probably the guy that’s had the toughest experience in the secondary guys because we’ve thrown a lot at him. He’s done a very nice job. I like his movement. First impressions have been very positive for the entire draft class.”

The coaching staff keeps their messages simple for the players. Although they’re teaching them plays and schemes, they expect the guys just to give great effort. One of the college free agents, Cody Pearcy is still striving for perfection.

“They just tell me to keep grinding,” Pearcy said. “Stay in the playbook and keep learning as much as I can and come out have a perfect practice every day.”

All the players on the field for the Falcons’ rookie minicamp aren’t rookies. Six of the 46 present were around for last season, either on the practice squad or the regular roster at various points during the season.

Matt Hansen is one of them and he spent an offseason preparing to accomplish one simple goal.

“My goal is to make the active roster and get on special teams,” he said. “That’s it, that’s my goal. There’s nothing else. I’d be cool with the practice squad again, but I want to make the active roster.”

Hansen’s first season as a professional football player wasn’t typical. He never saw the field beyond the practice squad, he experienced a position change to safety and he even got cut before re-signing with the team later in the year. This year he’s back and he’s back at linebacker, his natural position.

“I played linebacker in college,” Hansen said. “It’s been really good. It’s good to be back down in the box. I feel more instinctive and can just play. I was thinking a lot back there (at safety). I feel good there.”

Watching practice, it doesn’t take much to notice the former Rhode Island standout. He looks the part of a physical linebacker and he’s flying around the field like every good linebacker should. Hansen made one of the few stand-up-and-notice plays on Friday. While dropping into coverage, he took advantage of a pass thrown in his direction. He leaped and came down with the only interception during full-team drills on the day.

Hansen said he spent the offseason working hard, focusing on his goal. He’s added about five pounds of muscle and he’s ready to cash in all that hard work. He’s currently working as an outside linebacker, both the strong side and the weak side. He says he anticipates getting some reps in nickel and sub packages and with a few more interceptions like Friday’s, that’s a strong possibility.

With another year under his belt, he’s comfortable around the facility, the coaches and most importantly in his own skin as a player. His workouts during the offseason included other NFL players, including Cleveland’s big defensive tackle Phil Taylor. Their relationship goes back to before the draft last season. While Taylor was working on taking the next step after a four-sack rookie season, Hansen just focused on his goal of making the team.

And how does he plan to do that? The extra weight helps. The increased level of comfort is always a positive. But Hansen knows he’ll make the Falcons with his work on special teams.

“I’ve got to do well on special teams this year,” he said. “That’s what separates guys like me. That’s what separates the backups. I’m not looking to start or play, but I’m looking to get out there on special teams.”

By all accounts, Peter Konz’ first day with the Falcons was a success.

A full day of practice, some praise from his head coach and a little dancing for the media made for what appears to be a good day for Peter Konz, Atlanta’s 2012 second-round draft pick.

Konz, a center at Wisconsin, was drafted for his ability to play center and guard at a high level. On Friday, he began what head coach Mike Smith calls “cross-training”, learning how to flexibly play both positions. Konz spent the majority of the day at guard, but did take some snaps at center as well. Smith’s first impressions of his new offensive lineman were that he’s big and strong.

The dual threat lineman has already had some extensive conversations with the offensive line coaches as he begins to consume the offense. The early report from Smith is that the kid plays football the right way.

“Peter is a guy that I think is very passionate about the game of football,” Smith said. “He likes to be physical and he plays a very physical style of football. I’m looking forward to watching him mature and learn our system as we go through this 60 day period that we have with the rookies.”

Konz has the athletic ability to play guard at the NFL level, instead of remaining at center. He attributes all his time spent playing basketball and being a three-sport athlete growing up and in high school for helping him develop the necessary quick feet and agility to pull and block players while on the move.

The first thing Konz noticed when he took the field was the heat. A native of Wisconsin, the Georgia “heat” is something he’s going to need to get adjusted to. If a warm day in May is “hot” to Konz, July and August will feel like places Konz would rather not mention.

But the heat aside, he said he felt like he didn’t hesitate too much. He’s got a large playbook, courtesy of the coaching staff, and he’s trying to learn it as quickly as possible.

“They threw us a playbook and said ‘Go memorize it at home. Get in there and learn as much as you can as fast as you,’” he said. “This is stuff you might’ve had at whatever school you were at, but it’s all different names so you’ve got to memorize a lot.”

Right guard was considered a weakness for Atlanta last year, rotating a few players at the position throughout the season. Konz may be viewed as the answer to that problem, but there are still players on the roster that will have a say in that outcome. Smith anticipates competition throughout the offseason and into training camp, especially from another former offensive line draft pick, Mike Johnson.

“I think Mike is right in the middle of it,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, Mike had to be placed on injured reserve last year. He did not have an opportunity to come out and compete. He missed time in training camp last year, so it’s going to be very important. I think it’s going to be a very competitive offseason, not only on the offensive line, but all across the board. I think you’ll see a stepped-up attitude from the coaching staff, from the players that are here. Even though it’s May right now, I think  you’ll see the guys are very passionate and ready to go.”

As Konz exited his media session after practice, he was reminded that he spoke about doing the “Dirty Bird,” a dance made popular by the Falcons in the late 90s, during his post-draft conference call. At the media’s request, he did a full-body version of the dance, not once, but twice.

Falcons head coach Mike Smith’s first words to the media following Friday’s first rookie minicamp practice were: “I’m glad to be back.”

After an offseason last year that saw a lockout and no true offseason to work with his players, Smith was happy to be back to his old routines, but not everything was a routine.

Smith said it was the first time he’s actually been involved in a rookie minicamp. In past offseasons, the entire team conducted a mandatory minicamp after the draft. Small changes were made to the offseason sequencing to incorporate the rookie minicamp and later the full-team minicamp in June, but Smith said he thought it was productive, even for the first day and he was thrilled with the enthusiasm of his young players.

“I think our guys are excited about playing football,” Smith said. “Their energy was outstanding. We’ve got a lot to learn in the next two days to get these guys up to speed with the rest of the team when they start working out with them on Tuesday.”

Smith so far sees an advantage in letting the rookies spend some one-on-one time with the coaching staff before the veterans get involved in practices. Veterans will require coaching as well and in some ways the coaching they receive is more critical. Smith thinks letting the rookies get their feet wet in the Falcons way is helpful to their development.

“My observation from the first day… it allows (the rookies) to kind of ease into it,” he said. “In the past we’ve had our mandatory minicamp with all of our veterans here. … This is a little easier to work into it. We slow the installation down in terms of the coaching staff and these guys get an opportunity to learn it at a slower pace.”

In total, the Falcons had 46 players present for Friday’s first practice at the rookie minicamp. Six were players from last year’s roster, most of whom spent their time on the practice squad. Six others were the member of Atlanta’s 2012 Rookie Club and the remainder were college free agents, including 10 players present on a tryout basis.

The practice lasted for just less than an hour and a half and one of the day’s highlights was an interception by linebacker Matt Hanson during the team session.

Third-round pick Lamar Holmes was present, but did not practice. Smith said he sustained an injury and is being evaluated.

“Lamar’s got a minor issue with his foot,” he said. “It’s more precautionary right now. We’ll try to get him back out here. It won’t be here in this minicamp. I think it’ll be closer to when we start our OTAs later this month. It’s something that came up in his post-draft physical.”

Everybody loves a good underdog story. While most of the Falcons’ newly-signed undrafted college free agents have an underdog element in them, Cody Pearcy must surely rank somewhere near the top.

With the click of a stopwatch, Pearcy went from being a virtual unknown wide receiver from tiny Hungtindon College in Alabama to a legit NFL prospect.

What Pearcy did at his Pro Day in early April is really impressive. The 5-foot-10, 161-pound wide receiver ran a 4.31 40-yard dash, recorded a 44-inch vertical jump, ran a 6.67 in the three-cone drill and a 3.76 in the short shuttle. His 40 time and vertical would have been the highest totals at this year’s NFL Combine. His three-come drill and shuttle times would tie for the third best… since 2000. Since that year, 4,638 players have been invited to the Combine. Pearcy’s totals rank third compared to what has been posted at the Combine.

Immediately after his Pro Day, the viral Internet buzz machine began and Pearcy made a name for himself. NFL teams lined up workouts and suddenly the NFL didn’t seem so far away. With a return ability element to his game in addition to his wide receiving skills, some draft projectors saw a flash of Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson. Others inevitably made the natural comparison to another recent D-III receiver that has done well for himself in the NFL, Pierre Garcon.

Pearcy began saving every penny he could find during last season and worked a job as a roofer during his breaks, saving his money until he could afford a personal trainer to help him prepare for a football life of some kind somewhere after college football. He could only afford  three weeks, but he made the most of it.

But Pearcy isn’t just a workout warrior with a great Pro Day tape. He’s got the production on the field to back up his athletic ability. He’s is Huntingdon’s all-time leader with 147 receptions, 2,632 receiving yards, 25 touchdowns and 17.9 yards per reception average. He finished 2011 with a team-high 46 receptions for 766 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2010 he caught 51 passes for 1,078 yards and 12 touchdowns. That season his average yards per catch was a remarkable 21.1.

While he didn’t get drafted, his efforts got him into camp with the Falcons, who likely had to compete with other teams to sign him. His coaches describe him as a true gamer, a player that puts his best foot forward in the biggest games. Like so many undrafted free agents, by all accounts he seems to be a young man thankful for an opportunity to continue playing. While a video helped him get noticed, it was the total package that helped him get signed.

The Vitals

• Cody Pearcy Huntingdon College Bio
• Cody Pearcy’s Twitter

Michael Calvin didn’t catch a lot of passes during his career at the University of California. His career was stalled by injuries and he played behind two very talented receivers in their own right, but he was known for a few things.

First, with Keenan Allen, one of the nation’s rising wide receiver stars, and Marvin Jones, a fifth-round pick by the Bengals this year, in front of Calvin, there weren’t always a lot of passes that got around to Calvin. In his four seasons (he redshirted his freshman 2007 season) he caught 42 passes for 528 yards and one touchdown. His final season was his most productive, finishing with 20 catches for 269 yards with the touchdown.

What he was known for was his blocking ability while Cal and his deep speed. Calvin had a knack for getting open deep and catching a pass. His athleticism was always on full display beyond just his speed. He was the player that could come down with the miraculous catch.

Once his career at Cal was over, he began preparing for the NFL. Without an NFL Combine invite, his performance at Cal’s Pro Day would prove to be vital to further his career. He ran a 4.32 40-yard dash, broad jumped 11 feet, 1 inch and posted a vertical jump of 40.5 inches. His 40 time at the Combine would have been the fastest, his broad jump would have been tied for the highest and his vertical would have tied for the fourth best.

Calvin also brings ability to special teams. During his time at Cal, he recorded three tackles, forced a fumble and blocked a kick. His speed could also be valuable on coverage teams.

The six-foot-three, 215-pound wide receiver has the skill set and hands to be a valuable possession receiver in the NFL, with the speed to make him dangerous deep down the field. After the Falcons’ top three receivers, there is youth and inexperience on the depth chart. Calvin has a chance to join the Falcons and compete for a spot on the roster because of some of the versatility he brings beyond just being a pass-catcher.

The Vitals

• Michael Calvin’s Cal Bio
• Michael Calvin’s Twitter

The fact that James Rodgers is the brother of Falcons running back Jacquizz Rodgers probably didn’t hurt his chances to sign with Atlanta as a college free agent after the draft, but it’s not the only reason he’s been added to the roster.

The 5-foot-7, 188-pound receiver established an Oregon State University record with 222 career receptions and his 91 catches in 2009 also stands as a school record. During his five seasons at Oregon State (he received a medical redshirt in 2010) he gained 6,366 all-purpose yards, another school record. He’s also the first player at OSU to record 1,000 rushing yards and 2,000 receiving yards.

Concerns about a knee injury that cut his 2010 season short caused Rodgers’ stock to drop some, but he returned in 2011 for the Beavers and played in nine games. He began his college career as a running back, gaining 586 yards as a freshman in 2007 with three touchdowns. He began to convert to more of a full-time receiver the following year and his receptions jumped to 51 and then 91 in ’09.

In addition to being a versatile playmaker on offense, Rodgers brings impressive return skills to the Falcons. Though he’s got the ability to compete at wide receiver in the NFL, his best chance of making the Falcons roster may come because of his return ability. With the exit of last year’s return man, Eric Weems, in free agency, Atlanta’s returner role is wide open.

Rodgers totaled 86 kick returns while at Oregon State. He returned one kick for a touchdown, but he demonstrated an ability to create positive returns, never average less than 23.3 yards per return during any one season. He also had longs of 86, 84 and 63 yards as a kick returner.

He’s also an accomplished punt returner. In his five seasons, he returned 19 punts  as the team’s primary returner during 2009 and 2010. He averaged 13.7 yards per punt return. He had one touchdown and had longs of 33 yards and 54 yards.

The Vitals

•  James Rodgers Oregon State Bio
• James Rodgers’ Twitter

None of the newly-signed college college free agents by the Falcons need to look very far for inspiration, if it’s even needed. While they went undrafted in this year’s NFL Draft, their potential to land a role with the team is not completely a lost cause.

One of the icons of Falcons football, linebacker Jessie Tuggle, went undrafted in 1987. The five-time Pro Bowler was the heart and soul of Atlanta’s defense for over a decade and his No. 58 was retired by the franchise in 2002. Tuggle represents the epitome of the hard-working undrafted player, a player whose odds are stacked against him, but continues to give a roster-deserving effort each day during training camp.

College free agents play against a stacked deck, but there are plenty of stories of players making it through cut after cut and even some who have gone on to have Hall of Fame careers. This list of the top 25 undrafted free agents over the last 25 years shows the kind of talent that can be found among the college free agent ranks. Tuggle is No. 12 on the list.

Last season the Falcons had three starters at various points during the season that were college free agents. Tackle Tyson Clabo, cornerback Brent Grimes and fullback Mike Cox all were brought into the NFL undrafted. In total, Atlanta had nine former undrafted players that played starting or reserve roles for the team

While Grimes is the most notable undrafted player for Atlanta, tight end Michael Palmer and running back Antone Smith have quietly turned themselves into key reserves after joining the team as undrafted free agents. Smith bounced from a few teams during the 2009 offseason and preseason. He joined the Falcons in October of ’09 and has gone on to become a key part of the special teams unit. Palmer joined the club after the draft in 2010 and has remained on the 53-man roster since, evolving into the key backup and blocking tight end behind Tony Gonzalez.

Long snapper Joe Zelenka has had a 13-year career after entering the NFL undrafted in 1999 out of Wake Forest. He was brought to the Falcons in 2009 and has remained with the team since.

Backup quarterback John Parker Wilson joined the team in 2009 after being undrafted out of Alabama. He’s served as the team’s third-string QB.

Two players from last year’s college free agent class went on to make the team or the practice squad. Wide receiver Kevin Cone was named to the practice squad after training camp and made his way to the active roster for the last game of the season. Cornerback Darrin Walls was one of the surprise additions to the 53-man roster out of training camp last year. After a strong performance, he made the team and eventually was active for the final five games of the season, earning one interception in the season finale.

There are stories like these all over the NFL, but with an offseason and training camp where the focus is on competition, many of these new undrafted free agents may have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of players like Cone or Walls.

Could Chad Faulcon be the next Jessie Tuggle or Cody Pearcy be the next Wes Welker? Only time will tell.

Like the NFL Network’s list, PFF.com’s rankings focus on the top 101 players based on last season’s production. PFF.com analyzes every snap in every game during the season to determine a grade for each player. Their Top 101 Players of 2012 is based on their grades and the level of production a player provided to his team.

The Ravens, Texans, Vikings, Eagles and 49ers were the top teams in terms of roster contributions to the list with six players each. The Tampa Bay Bucs and the Indianapolis Colts were the only teams with no players on their 2011 roster to make the list.

The Falcons had five players from last year’s roster show up on the list. One interesting note is that a player that did show up on the list has been added to the roster: Asante Samuel. With the addition of Samuel, every other player on the list is on Atlanta’s current roster, giving them a total of six from PFF.com’s Top 101 list.

No. 93: Asante Samuel – “He gave up just two penalties and two touchdowns all year while picking up three interceptions and breaking up six passes.”

Key Stat: “Gave up just 296 yards all season long.”

No. 84: Tony Gonzalez - “The Falcons tight end responded with the kind of season that saw only two players ranked ahead of him in our receiving rankings for tight ends. ”

Key Stat: “Finished third in our Drop Rate for tight ends, missing only three of the 113 catchable targets thrown his way.”

No. 79: Sean Weatherspoon - “He showed an ability to get to the quarterback (15 QB disruptions on 83 pass rushes) while also coming up to make a number of big stops in the run game.”

Key Stat: “Finished third of all 4-3 OLBs in our run stop percentage stat, recording a defensive stop on 10.6% of all running plays.”

No. 74: Matt Ryan – “Overall we saw a series of strong performances without him really putting forward one that captured people’s attention; this on his way to finishing the regular season with our fourth-highest passing grade.”

Key Stat: “His play under pressure regressed this year. He completed just 44.4% of passes, with a 4:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, which earned a -8.9 grade.”

No. 62: Brent Grimes – “While only one interception will keep significant media attention off him, by deflecting 12 passes and seeing just 44.6% of passes into his coverage completed, he’s proved himself an elite cornerback in our eyes.”

Key Stat: “Gave up just 0.58 yards per snap in coverage. The lowest of all cornerbacks in the league.”

No. 35: John Abraham – “While he didn’t have a sack in nine games, his value goes beyond that given his ability to constantly generate pressure. This helped him finish third in our defensive end rankings.”

Key Stat: “Finished sixth in our Pass Rushing Productivity rankings for defensive ends.”

During the offseason we’ll take a look at a hot topic on the Talk About the Falcons department of FalconsLife and examine what’s on the minds of Falcons fans.

The message board was abuzz this week in the dust of the NFL Draft. Fans were talking about the picks and analyzing the undrafted free agents the team signed. Falcons fan freebird310, took it one step further and said Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff made huge strides with the 2012 Falcons roster. In freebird310′s eyes, Dimitroff addressed what he feels were the biggest needs for the Falcons.

“He majorly upgraded both our O-line and our secondary, the two most critical issues we faced,” he wrote. “Obviously both units should be vastly improved over what we trotted out last year.”

A few days prior to the draft, Dimitroff pulled off a trade with the Eagles, sending a seventh-round pick in exchange for Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel. While Samuel’s interception numbers were down last year, he still played at a high level and is widely regarded as one of the premier corners in the game.

Combining Samuel with another Pro Bowler in Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson (expected to play the slot corner because of his physical style) gives Atlanta three talented corners in new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s traditionally aggressive scheme. Dimitroff added Samuel for the price of a pick that was likely only to return roster depth and possibly potential impact down the line.

The additions of Vince Manuwai in free agency and Peter Konz and Lamar Holmes in the draft are also viewed as strong additions. At best all of them provide competition along the offensive line and at worst at least one of them represents an upgrade somewhere along the line.

Falcons fan metatron360 sees these additions, as well as the new members of the coaching staff (Nolan, Dirk Koetter and Pat Hill most notably) as all positives for Atlanta, calling the offseason “outstanding.”

“Yes he addressed every area and made a bold statement by drafting 2 Olinemen,” he wrote. “It’s funny how it came together. Oc leaves dc leaves Konz happened to be there (for) our pick and finding a LT with all the tools ready to be coached up. Heck he even got us another top tier corner on the cheap.”

While it’s only the offseason and talk can be a little cheap until players hit the field, on paper Falcons fans see a number of additions that are very positive for Atlanta. Konz and Holmes didn’t generate a lot of buzz with the national media, but the fans see two players that could be strong additions. The move to bring in Samuel is virtually a coup by Dimitroff, adding one of the best talents at a position in the NFL with a late-round pick.

There’s a long way to go, but the addition of O-line coach Hill could mean great teaching for the two drafted lineman (as well as the other young players on the line like Mike Johnson and Joe Hawley). Nolan is expected to utilize Samuel’s skills appropriately and improve the Falcons’ pass coverage which could positively influence the pass rushing from the defensive line.

Although Dimitroff was at one time criticized for sitting patiently when free agency began and electing to bring back his own core of free agents, the Falcons fanbase is applauding the GM now that the offseason player-movement period has concluded with the addition of one guaranteed starter and two potential ones.

If by name only, when the Falcons added Asante Samuel to the roster through a trade with the Eagles, Falcons fans knew they were getting a great player.

The stats suggest Atlanta is adding one of the best cornerbacks currently in the league and a look at how the four-time Pro Bowler has performed against the Falcons’ 2012 opponents suggests the best may be to come.

A two-time Super Bowl champ, Samuel’s 38 interceptions since 2006 leads the NFL. His 45 career interceptions, since 2003, ranks fourth among active players, behind only Ed Reed, Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey. Samuel, 30, is 12 interceptions behind leader Reed, 33.

He’s the only player in NFL history to record at least one interception return for a touchdown in each of his first six NFL seasons, including postseason play. With a resume like that, it’s no wonder people call him “Pick-Six.” Including postseason play, he’s recorded nine career interception returns for touchdowns and he has eight games in his career with two or more interceptions.

Sixteen of Samuels’ 45 regular season interceptions have come against teams the Falcons will face during the 2012 season.

Especially interesting is that Atlanta will face the NFC East this season, the division Samuel played in with the Eagles for the last four seasons. Samuel has three interceptions against the Giants including two in one game in 2010. He has three against Washington, also including two in one game, except in 2009. He has one against Dallas and recorded two against Philadelphia in 2007 when he was a member of the Patriots.

Samuel also brings am added dimension to the Falcons. His postseason experience is vast and is more extensive than virtually every player on Atlanta’s roster.

At the 2011 season-ending press conference, head coach Mike Smith spoke about the directions he saw for his team as it looked to improve its roster and staff of coaches. Smith he wanted additions that have had positive experiences at the highest levels so they can share that with other members of the team. Smith felt players like that would be able to help Atlanta’s still relatively young roster when found in those situations.

The cornerback’s seven career postseason intereceptions are tied for the third most in NFL history. His four postseason interceptions returns for touchdowns are the most in NFL history.

The addition of Samuel to the Falcons defense adds a new dimension for Atlanta. With Samuel comes a pedigree of a high-level of play and a swagger that only comes with the best.

It’s not every day that you get to see Falcons players out of uniform.

For the lucky participants at Monday night’s Huddle Up For Miracles at the Capital Grille in Atlanta, that was the case. Around 40 players traded their jerseys in for aprons at the request of head coach Mike Smith for the charity event, benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network.

The Falcons’ newest linebacker Lofa Tatupu has only been in Atlanta and with the Falcons for a few weeks, but he was happy to serve himself up in honor of a great cause.

“It wasn’t mandatory,” Tatupu said. “I’ve been in situations in the past where you were told you were required to be present. I chose to be here. There’s nothing better than this, even if I’m going to embarrass myself a little bit.”

The embarrassing part is why most people showed up. The Falcons players spent the evening waiting on tables, serving food to the night’s guests and basically running the restaurant in the name of earning tips.

Click here to see a photo gallery from the 2012 Huddle Up for Miracles dinner

Michael Turner, Roddy White and Stephen Nicholas stood outside the front of The Capital Grille welcoming guests, specifically ladies, with flowers. Tyson Clabo carried a serving platter throughout the restaurant, offer appetizers to anyone willing to accept. John Abraham manned the elevator, asking for tips for all his hard work.

The tips the players earned will be donated to the charity, and few things are off limits. Players were instructed to get tips any way they could, within reason. Pose for pictures and then get your tip. Pull out a chair for a lady and ask for a tip. As the night proceeded, karaoke began and the expected suspects, like the always affable Sean Weatherspoon, played to the crowd. Not to be outdone, offensive linemen Joe Hawley and Justin Blalock performed, as well.

Up for auction on the evening were numerous Falcons-related prizes like a trip for two on the team’s charter to an away game, the chance to be the water boy/girl for a day of training and golf with Smith and quarterback Matt Ryan.

Hand-painted plates were handed out at the end of the evening to certain deserving Falcons for their efforts on the evening. Honors included “Most Spirited,” “Best Performer,” “Most Fumbles” and “Most Charming.”

In 2010, Roddy White took home top honors for the player earning the most tips. In 2009, former quarterback DJ Shockley led the tip-total pack.

One common theme that was already in place under Thomas Dimitroff as the drafting-head of the Falcons showed up again last week as the team drafted its newest collection of rookies. Dimitroff continued to select players he felt were team leaders, a number of them given the team captain designation by their teammates and coaches.

Of the six selections in the 2012 draft for Atlanta, four players were team captains. Lamar Holmes, Bradie Ewing, Charles Mitchell and Travian Robertson were all team captains for their respective teams.

Throughout the draft, Dimitroff spoke of drafting “team-captain types,” players that were identified as team leaders. Although the others, Peter Konz and Jonathan Massaquoi, weren’t official captains of their squads, they demonstrated character traits through the scouting process that were consistent with team captains.

On and off the field leadership is important and its been a staple among the players that Dimitroff has brought in through the drafts. Since 2008, 20 of the 36 players the Falcons have drafted have been team captains, including notables like Matt Ryan, Sean Weatherspoon, Thomas DeCoud and Corey Peters. Eight of the drafted players since 2008 that received a start during last season were college team captains.

As players progress through their college careers they begin to develop those team-captain type of traits. Seasoned players when they arrive in the NFL, players like these are more prone to accept coaching and come with a team-first mentality that leads to success.

Thirty-two of the 36 players the Falcons have drafted since 2008 have been seniors, including Holmes, Ewing, Mitchell and Robertson from this class.  Based on the word around Konz and Massaquoi, it’s very likely they would have been team captains for their teams during their senior seasons.

Dimitroff’s reliance on the draft to build a team of high-character and high-performing players appears to have continued with his 2012 draft class. In his prior four seasons, he has made-over the roster to feature 19 new starters from the 2007 season. Twenty four of the 32 players the GM has drafted between 2008 and 2011 have seen game action and 16 have started. In all, 28 rookies have been active on game day since 2008.

And then there was a day for rest.

As the sun set Saturday evening in Atlanta, the Falcons concluded their 2012 draft. They likely used Sunday to rest and begin the process of picking up priority free agents the scouting staff identified during the scouting and drafting process.

In total, the Falcons selected six players. Wisconsin’s Peter Konz, a center, was the first player selected by the Falcons. He’s expected to enter the offseason training activities with a shot to compete as a starter at center or guard.

Southern Mississippi’s Lamar Holmes, a left tackle, was the team’s third-round pick. A very large lineman, the pick completes general Thomas Dimitroff’s focus on beefing up the offensive line early on in the draft.

“Going into this year, we knew we needed to get more stout there,” Dimitroff said. “If Matt (Ryan) can’t get the ball down the field, we feel we’re taking away our ability to be more explosive.”

The trend of finding blockers continued into the fifth round when Atlanta selected Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing. Also in the fifth round the Falcons selected Troy defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi.

The picks continued into the sixth with Mississippi State safety Charles Mitchell. Another large player, defensive tackle Travian Robertson from South Carolina, was picked with the seventh-round selection.

Dimitroff stuck with his philosophy of drafting players that he describes as “team-captain types.” Four of Atlanta’s picks were team captains in college. While he said it’s not a determining factor, they always find it a positive.

“If these guys are team players, we really believe we have a fighting chance,” Dimitroff said.

The GM said he expects to have approximately 23 roster spots to fill with college free agents by early this week.

7:55 p.m.- The last pick means the last post-draft pick comments from general manager Thomas Dimitroff. In the incoming defensive tackle Travian Robertson the Falcons get another former college team captain and another beefy guy to clog up the middle of the defensive line. The D-line rotation philosophy is strong with head coach Mike Smith and Robertson expects to come in and be another piece.

“The most successful defensive lines have a rotation going on,” Dimitroff said.

Robertson had a long day when the third day of the draft began this morning. He was one of the final few players selected in the draft and the last player from his former school.

Current Falcons defensive end and 2011 draft pick, Cliff Matthews was a former roommate of Robertson when the two were at school at South Carolina together. Like Matthews, Robertson brings a big-bodied presence to the defensive line.

“He has deceptive athleticism about him,” Dimitroff said. “Hoping he develops and can be in the mix in the middle of the defensive line.”

7:17 p.m.- Two and a half hours after the last Falcons’ pick, pick No. 249 has been announced. In the seventh round the Falcons selected South Carolina defensive tackle Travian Robertson. The six-foot-four, 302-pound tackle was a fifth-year senior and team captain for the Gamecocks in the 2011 season. He ended the year with 49 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

The Robertson pick concludes Atlanta’s draft. The Southeastern Conference produced two players, the Big Ten contributed two as well and Conference USA chipped in one as did the Sun Belt Conference.

5:51 p.m.- Yahoo! Sports’ Shutdown Corner blog is one of the better ones around. Writer Doug Farrar just posted his analysis of the fifth round of the draft and he had some nice things to say about one of Atlanta’s picks.

Farrar said Jonathan Massaquoi was among the best fifth-round value picks. In fact, Farrar, earlier this year, had Massaquoi ranked as one of his top 50 players in the entire draft.

“Expect new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan to run different fronts, which could have Massaquoi playing a lot as a pass-rushing outside linebacker — the position I believe best highlights his abilities,” Farrar wrote.

5:29 p.m.- As we await the Falcons’ final player decision of the draft, just four picks away from being Mr. Irrelevant, let’s take a closer look at sixth-round pick Charles Mitchell.

“Versatility” has continued to be a word Dimitroff has used often over the last three days and he turned to it again this evening to describe his most recent draft pick.

“Charles is a versatile guy who can play free safety and strong safety,” Dimitroff said during his post-pick appearance on the live Falcons Draft Central broadcast. “. . . (He) has big play ability, though he hasn’t had his hands on the ball. We think he is a nice addition to our depth and as a player on special teams.”

Dimitroff said usually in this area of the draft is when you find your fourth and fifth safeties and while you want to find a player that can certainly contribute if necessary on defense, you want players with core special teams ability.

Mitchell played every game during his college career and he attributed that to the strength program at Mississippi State. He’s very mindful of stretching and using the cold tub frequently.

The topic of recent acquisition Asante Samuel came up during Dave Archer’s talk with Mitchell following the selection. He thinks the addition is a sound one, but he sees a way he can come in and help the team right away.

“I see a lot of teams around the league missing tackles,” he said. “I’m going to come in and try to help in that area of the game.”

Coming from the SEC is never a bad thing and Mitchell thinks playing in what most consider the best conference in the country helps make him a better player. Playing against some of the best teams and players in the country has helped turn Mitchell into the player he is today.

4:46 p.m. - Atlanta has announced their sixth-round pick, 192 overall, safety Charles Mitchell from Mississippi State. He had 95 tackles, a forced fumble and a sack during the 2011 season.

The five-foot-11, 202-pound safety played in every game of his college career, starting 38 of 50 games. He’s described as a physical run defender, but may need time to continue to develop coverage abilities.

He was named to the preseason Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List for the 2011 season, the award given to the nation’s best football player. Mitchell was a team captain for Mississippi State last season.

4:25 p.m.- The Falcons’ second fifth-round pick, Jonathan Massaquoi of Troy, has some solid NFL bloodlines. His cousins are former UGA receiver and current Cleveland Brown Mohamed Massaquoi and former Minnesota Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Though he was born in west Africa, Massaquoi came to the United States when he was 16-months old with his mother. They moved to Georgia when he was four or five and they’ve remained there ever since. He attended high school at Central Gwinnett before attending Butler Community College in Kansas. He transferred to Troy after one season and following a redshirt season, the six-foot-two 264-pound defensive end began to hone in on his pass-rushing abilities.

Troy is a universtity that is quickly developing a reputation for churning out pass rushers, with the two most notable players recently being DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora.

“Hopefully I can be put into that conversation and follow the tradition,” Massaquoi said on Saturday. “Only time will see. We have great coaches at the Falcons and I feel I’m going to be a right fit with my mechanics and how I play ball.”

Massaquoi describes himself as a player with excellent hand usage and long arms. He feels he has exceptional burst off the ball and a motor that doesn’t stop.

“I want to get to that ball, no matter the depths of the field,” he said. “I believe the Falcons see my relentless spirit and how bad I want to get to the quarterback.”

Dimitroff didn’t expect to see Massaquoi at their pick in the fifth round and described himself as fortunate to have the former Troy pass rusher there waiting for him. He agrees with Massaquoi’s scouting report on himself. He sees a versatile player that could give the Falcons an ability to showcase some 3-4 pass-rushing looks to opposing opponents.

“His versatility to be an outside backer in a 3-4, there’s no question he can do that in our minds,” Dimitroff said.

The call from Dimitroff to Massaquoi to welcome him to the team was the completion of a dream that has lasted almost a lifetime.

“Getting the call is a privilege,” he said. “It’s an honor and I’m privileged to be in this situation. For the Falcons to pick me, this is my hometown. Since being a little boy playing football, I’ve always said I wanted to be a Falcon. Since I got to college, I’ve always said I wanted to be a Falcon. I’ve always said this is where I want to be. …I want to go far with this team. They have a lot of great veterans on there.”

4:05 p.m.- The Falcons continued their raid on the Wisconsin football program with their first fifth-round selection. They selected fullback Bradie Ewing, one of the draft’s only pure fullbacks. Ewing joins the Falcons from the Wisconsin program along with second-round pick Peter Konz.

“Peter is a great guy,” Ewing said. “Obviously I’m very excited to continue our careers together and be part of the Falcons organization.”

Ewing walked on as a freshman at Wisconsin as a running back. He was converted to fullback and eventually earned a scholarship entering his junior year.

Though Ewing appears to be strictly a fullback in Atlanta’s offense, based on how he was used at Wisconsin, he does bring versatility, including the ability to play special teams.

“I’m a very versatile player, I think,” he said. “I can do all the things a traditional fullback can do as far as blocking from the backfield and all that stuff. I think I have phenomenal hands, I can catch out of the backfield. And I can play special teams.”

A team captain, Ewing is a smart player who relishes the opportunity to do what he does best: get in the middle of piles and move players out of the way.

Asked about his roles in Wisconsin’s short-yardage situation, he  had this to say: “I love doing that short yardage. Everyone’s in the box. It’s a fun time.”

Dimitroff, speaking on the live Falcons Draft Central following the pick, spoke about Ewing’s versatility and believes he will come in and immediately compete for the fullback spot.

“(He has) nice athleticism to adjust and seal off when necessary,” Dimitroff said. “He has the ability to catch the ball too.”

One of the most important aspects of Ewing’s game to Dimitroff was his intelligence. Though fullbacks run and hit players, they need to be able to diagnose what is happening in front of them quickly, so they know exactly who and where to hit.

“That fullback position. you have to be acute with your mental ability because there’s so much flying your way,” Dimitroff said. “That’s one of the things that is important to us.”

3:20 p.m.- The Falcons have announced their second selection in the fifth round. At pick No. 164 Atlanta selected Jonathan Massaquoi, a defensive end from Troy University. At six-foot-two, 264 pounds, Massaquoi was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year before the 2011 season began and finished his two-year career at Troy with 128 tackles, including 31 for a loss and 19.5 sacks.

Massaquoi played as a defensive end in Troy’s 3-4 defense, but scouts believe he has the ability to stand up as a hybrid outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He displays explosive and sudden ability and many scouts think he is one of the pass-rushing sleepers in the draft. Though raw, he presents upside and can turn into a premier pass rusher.

2:58 p.m.- At pick No. 157 in the fifth round, the Falcons have selected fullback Bradie Ewing from Wisconsin.

The six foot, 239-pound Ewing led the way for one of the nation’s best running games in 2011. Montee Ball was an All-American running  back running behind Ewing. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Ewing carried the ball seven times for 33 yards with two touchdowns in his career. He added eight catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Ewing is considered a very good special teams player as well.

2:28 p.m.- Chris Steuber is an excellent analyzer of the draft and scout. His website is here (be sure and check out his creative mock draft — it’s one of my favorites.

I just sent him a tweet asking what his thoughts were for the Falcons first fifth-round pick at No. 157. Of the players available currently, he sees linebacker Travis Lewis, free safety George Iloka, defensive lineman Bill Winn and running back/returner Chris Rainey as options.

Iloka was second on Boise State last season in tackle with 58, but had only one pass break up and no intereceptions. His strength is more in run support and playing the part of the big, physical safety on the field.

Winn is a motor defensive end that gets by with effort and brute strength. He’s also from Boise State. He had 34 tackles and eight tackles for loss in the 2011 season.

Lewis is a linebacker from Oklahoma. He was selected to the All-Big 12 Conference Second Team after his play during the 2011 season.

Rainey is a blazing fast running back who may be best suited to help as a returner in the NFL. However he does have quicks out of the backfield and an ability to catch passes. He’s also blocked six kicks during his college career at Florida.

2:18 p.m.- I’m not sure if this has ever happened, but in the fourth round the Vikings selected a pair of Arkansas wide receivers, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright. They were teammates in high school in Arkansas at Warren High. They of course went on to be prolific receivers at Arkansas and now they’ve just been selected by the Vikings.

1:53 p.m.- While surfing the ‘net looking for stories on the Falcons’ two newest additions while we await Atlanta’s fifth-round pick, I came across a short piece from Gastonia, NC, the hometown of third-round pick Lamar Holmes.

Holmes is the first player from his high school, Hunter Huss, to be drafted by an NFL team. He’s the second-highest draft pick from Gaston County. The report says he had an individual workout for the Panthers on Wednesday of this week at his high school. The Falcons were among four other teams that worked out Holmes earlier in the spring.

1:31 p.m.- Just came across a news story on Peter Konz from his hometown newspaper. The Post-Crescent has a story (and video) on Konz and his reaction to being drafted by the Falcons.

The first reaction from Konz’ mother, Margaret?

“He’s got a job,” she said.

Just like a mother, but she was clearly excited for her son.

Konz sounds almost relieved that Atlanta drafted him. He said his agent had identified six teams that may be in the mix for his services and the Falcons were one of them. One important member of Konz’ family was hoping for the A.

“My fiancée wanted a few places and Atlanta was one of them,” Konz said. “So I’ll be sleeping sound tonight.”

The Falcons’ newest second-round pick and his fiancée will be getting married this summer. They don’t know much about Atlanta right now, but that will change in time. For now, they know it’s the home of Coke and the TV show “The Walking Dead”.

“I really want to be on the set of ‘The Walking Dead,’” he said. “That, would be really nice.”

1:20 p.m.- As Thomas Dimitroff wrapped up his evening last night he shared a few thoughts on the final day of the draft.

First, the trade with Baltimore allowed the Falcons to recoup a fifth-round draft pick, a move that will give Dimitroff a little more ammunition to move around in the draft, should he chose to do so. He stated last night that it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

“We like the fact that we can stay put or we can also package some picks as we’ve done in the past,” Dimitroff said. “I like the idea of having the ability to be creative.”

Dimitroff cautioned everyone to not rule adding more players with bulk as picks. While they used their first two picks bolstering the offensive line, a defensive player with heft could be coming in some of the later rounds of the draft.

The Falcons GM sees the middle rounds as prime places to snag developmental players and guys that can help teams in a number of ways. Dimitroff added that in this day and age of draft watching, there are times when a player is picked and no one understands the logic of the pick. He said that is sometimes because no one but the personnel people in the War Room understand exactly why a player is being picked for a certain team.

“I’ve learned this many years in this business, team-builders know their organization better than anyone,” he said. “No disrespect to the fan base or the media, they have a vision of where they’re going with their team. Sometimes there are guys they pick in the third, fourth or fifth round that are developmental type of guys that maybe people might not know about, but they know enough about what their vision is for that player.”

So with all of that said, who do you think the Falcons will take with their first fifth-round selection? Let me know on Twitter.

12:11 p.m.- Good afternoon. Day Three of the draft has begun and rounds four through seven will be complete when the sun sets this evening. To recap last night, the Falcons selected Wisconsin center Peter Konz in the second round and traded down in the third round with the Baltimore Ravens and picked up Lamar Holmes, an offensive tackle from Southern Mississippi.

The Falcons invested their first two picks beefing up the offensive line and some of the incumbents took to Twitter last night to “welcome” those two to the offensive line club, a tight-knit group of guys that are known as much for their quirky personalities as their rather large and imposing size.

Right tackle Tyson Clabo fired up Twitter to say hello to the new boys.

“Lamar Holmes,” Clabo tweeted. “Looks like I get two chicken biscuits. Make sure they put egg and cheese on mine.”

The Falcons will resume their 2012 draft on Saturday. When the clock strikes noon, rounds four through seven will commence to close out the draft.

On Friday night the Falcons had two picks, one in each round, their first two of the draft. They did not have a first-round pick this year. With Atlanta’s first pick at No. 55 in the second round they selected Peter Konz, a center/guard from Wisconsin. Atlanta traded their No. 84 overall pick in the third round to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the Raven’s No. 91 overall third-round pick and a fifth round pick, the 29th pick of the round.

With their third-round pick at No. 91 overall, they selected Lamar Holmes, a behemoth left tackle from Southern Mississippi.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said he was focused on the offensive line with his first selection. He anticipates Konz is versatile enough to play either guard or center in the NFL, even though he was the full-time center at Wisconsin.

Konz said he was surprised by the Falcons selection of him. He did not have much contact with the team during the pre-draft process but said it was an honor to go anywhere in the draft.

“Being an NFL football player now, getting the opportunity is amazing,” Konz said. “It doesn’t matter where I fell to because I love the team that picked me. I have nothing but great respect for the organization. Now I get to help be part of a winning tradition.”

The selection of Holmes completed a day of drafting where Dimitroff hoped to walk away with a few offensive linemen. He sees Holmes as a left tackle prospect, one that quickly developed into a player they were really interested in during his two years at Southern Miss.

Like Konz, Holmes said being selected by the Falcons capped off a dream-like experience.

“It was like the world’s best feeling,” he said. “It’s been a dream since the day you could pick up a football or say the word ‘football’, something you’ve dreamed about your entire life. To have a coach call you and tell you you’re part of the Atlanta Falcons now, it’s something you can’t really put into words. It’s really great. I’m ready to go.”

The Falcons’ first pick on Saturday will come in the fifth round, No. 22 in the round. They’ll pick again in the sixth round, also at 22. Their final pick will be in the seventh round, the 42nd pick of the round.

11:45 p.m.- That’s going to do it for us tonight. We’re dimming the lights on the team’s facility in Flowery Branch this evening but we’ll back just before noon on Saturday to pick up rounds four through seven of the draft. If it’s anything like the last two days have been, it’s safe to say it’s going to be crazy. We’ll see you then.

11:41 p.m.- Thomas Dimitroff just left the set of the live Falcons Draft Central broadcast and hopefully he’ll get to bed soon before he returns to man the third day of the NFL Draft.

Dimitroff should be able to rest easy tonight knowing he accomplished what he set out to do in the second night. The GM said he wanted at least one and maybe two offensive linemen in this year’s draft. Holmes, like his draft partner Peter Konz, is a “team-captain type” (in Dimitroff’s words), something that is important to the Falcons and the chemistry they’ve built.

In Holmes Dimitroff doesn’t exactly see a player that is a developmental prospect. He said Friday night that he wants competition on the roster this year and there will be no incumbents on the team. TD thinks Holmes has everything needed to be a left tackle in the NFL.

“He’s a big man,” Dimitroff said. “. . .I believe he’s a double-wide load. He’s a big, big guy that can potentially get even bigger. He does move well, he’s got some light feet about him. He’s an ornery guy too. . . .There’s an edge there.”

Holmes was a player on the Falcons’ radar since he was an underclassman. They thought he was a raw prospect, but kept their eye on his this season. By the year’s end they saw an impressive tackle that can anchor in the passing game and get out and move in the open field as a blocker in the running game.

Dimitroff anticipates Holmes will compete at left tackle for the Falcons, but they do believe he has the versatility to be a swing tackle and man both sides of the line.

11:14 p.m.- Atlanta’s third-round selection after they traded back with Baltimore, offensive tackle Lamar Holmes from Southern Mississippi, just got off the phone with the Atlanta media.

Holmes said being drafted was one of the best feelings he’d ever had, a life-long dream.

“It was like the world’s best feeling,” he said. “It’s been a dream since the day you could pick up a football or say the word ‘football’, something you’ve dreamed about your entire life. To have a coach call you and tell you you’re part of the Atlanta Falcons now, it’s something you can’t really put into words. It’s really great. I’m ready to go.”

The massive tackle began his college football career in junior college before transferring to Southern Mississippi. It was there that he learned what it means to grind every day at practice.

“I went to junior college as a freshman with my head down and saying I’ve got to go in there and take someone’s spot, I’ve got to have a job,” he said. “I’ve got to get out on the field and I’m not here to make friends. I think that type of mentality carried me to where I am now. I went to Southern Miss with that same mentality and I’ve just got to keep doing it.”

Voted by his teammates as a team captain, he helped lead Southern Miss to the Conference USA championship last season. While he rotated at left and right tackle on the offensive line while in junior college, at So. Miss. he played only at left tackle. He said he’s ready to join the Falcons and get to work on a rookie season that he believes will see him contributing right away.

“I feel like I can come in and be a contributor right off from day one,” he said. “I’m going to work and whoever is across from me, I’m going to make them work hard every day, all day.”

10:47 p.m.- With the 91st pick in the third round, the Falcons selected Lamar Holmes, an offensive tackle from Southern Mississippi. A six-foot-five, 323-pound tackle, he improved his technique through his senior year while at Southern Miss. Scouts think he’s a better athlete than he’s given credit for because of his large frame. Naturally strong and a player that looks the part, he was ranked as 20th-best tackle prospect in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com.

Holmes was a first-team All-Conference USA player for his performance in the 2011 season. He was a member of an offensive line that helped the team produce over 6,000 total yards on offense for the first time in school history.

10:24 p.m.- The Falcons have just traded the 84th overall pick to the Ravens in exchange for Baltimore’s third-round pick at 91 and a fifth-round pick. This move makes it appear that Dimitroff has a player targeted and he feels he can get him while still moving backwards. The Ravens selected running back Bernard Pierce  from Temple.

10:07 p.m.- The Arizona Cardinals are on the clock and the Falcons are four picks away from being back on the clock. We welcomed Peter Konz into the fold over an hour ago and the next pick will be coming shortly. Brandon Thompson, Alameda Ta’amu and Ladarius Green are among the players still available that may be of interest to the Falcons.

9:31 p.m.- The Falcons first selection of the 2012 Draft, Peter Konz, just got off of a conference call with the Atlanta media.

Konz said he hadn’t met with the Falcons much during the pre-draft process, but his agent told him the team may be one with a center need when they went on the clock. Moments later he got a surprising phone call from Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff and the rest is Falcons 2012 Draft history.

“Being an NFL football player now, getting the opportunity is amazing,” Konz said. “It doesn’t matter where I fell to because I love the team that picked me. I have nothing but great respect for the organization. Now I get to help be part of a winning tradition.”

Dimitroff said earlier this evening he believes Konz is versatile enough to line up at both guard and center positions and he anticipates the Falcons will challenge Konz to learn both positions. Konz said he never played any other positions while at Wisconsin, but practiced the other offensive line positions on occasions.

“At Wisconsin they made sure I knew tackle, guard and center,” he said. “Any way I can help the team, that’s my responsibility.”

He cites New York’s Nick Mangold and Cleveland’s Joe Thomas as idols among the offensive line sect in the NFL. Thomas, a former Wisconsin tackle, is one of the best in the NFL at that position.

“I think all the offensive linemen at Wisconsin try to be like Joe in one aspect or another: just solid people and great football players,” Konz said.

During his brief call he repeatedly spoke about how excited he is to come to Atlanta and be a part of the organization. He said he expects to learn a lot from veteran center Todd McClure and looks forward to working hard and continuing to grow as a player.

“I know I can always be better,” he said. “That’s why I think I’m a good pick, especially for the Falcons because I’m just going to keep getting better. I haven’t reached my ceiling at all. I’ve got a lot more growth and I can be a lot better of a player.”

9:01 p.m. – Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff is on Falcons Draft Central live right now and is discussing his first pick of the 2012 draft: Peter Konz.

Dimitroff said he was really honed in on offensive line with his first selection. In Konz he sees a versatile and smart offensive lineman that can play guard or center.

“There’s no question about it, this is what our goal was,” Dimitroff said when asked if he expected Konz to come to Atlanta and compete for a starting job right away.

Dimitroff said he classified Konz as a combo guard and center and expect him to compete at both spots.

8:55 p.m.- Some rapid reaction on Twitter from Falcons fans reveals a mixed-opinion on Konz, though it’s mostly encouraged and positive.

• @cl8n82 – great pick. Live in big 10 country and Konz is a beast. Glad to have him in the #falconsfamily
• @grantharrison91 -  never been this enthused about a Falcons pick before LOVE it, great value.
• @NorthernFalcon - Love it! We just picked up the #1 C in the draft can tell TD is also looking to the Future! He will start at OG Day 1 #atldraft
• @Jonny_Qu3st - Like the pick a lot. I was hoping for Curry, but Konz was BPA. Instant help for o-line. Got the #1 center at 55. Good value.

8:37 p.m. – The Falcons have announced their pick at No. 55, Wisconsin center Peter Konz. Most scouts and draftniks considered Konz to be the top center available in the draft. Many felt he was good enough to go in the first round. The six-foot-five, 314-pound Konz is the first center to be taken in the draft in 2012.

The junior brings his powerful run blocking to Atlanta and his pass protection rapidly improved during his career. The junior is also believed to be capable of playing at guard as well. He started 30 games during his career at Wisconsin.

8:15 p.m.- The Patriots just announced their pick at No. 48 and it’s the first major head-scratcher of the night. They selected a safety, certainly a need, but Illinois’ Tavon Wilson isn’t a name many know. There was some pause on the network draft shows when Wilson was mentioned.

Adam Schein of FoxSports tweeted moments after the pick that long-time Dallas vice president of personnel and architecture of Super Bowl winners Gil Brandt rated Wilson as a free agent.

8:10 p.m.- I had a chance to sit down with former Falcons linebacker Coy Wire for a few moments this evening between takes of Falcons Draft Central.

Since leaving the Falcons, Wire is a published author and is growing his career as a public speaker. Wire gave me a few insights, based on his experiences with Dimitroff, Smith and the franchise, on what he thinks the Falcons may be looking for in the player they decide to select.

“Look for Dimitroff and coach Smith to go with high-character picks,” Wire said. “Too much emphasis is placed on physical talent, but it’s not the most important factor. All of the potential picks have physical talent, but Dimitroff and Smith want to know what type of character they are getting. How will that person react when entering a completely different environment? Will they be able to maintain and sustain through the transition into the NFL? Will they be able to handle it when they are no longer the big fish?”

Wire, a team captain during his time in Atlanta, knows a thing or two about character and being a leader. The linebacker thinks those two characteristics are vital to building a perennial winner. He thinks Dimitroff places emphasis on these two attributes and that has been a reason for the Falcons’ success since he joined the franchise in 2008.

To Wire things are just getting started.

“Rise up?” he said. “The organization has already risen. Now? Keep rising! It’s going to be a fun year in Atlanta.”

7:45 p.m. – Before I can even hit “Update” on the blog, Miami selected Stanford left tackle, Jonathan Martin. It appears the run on offensive linemen has begun. Should I even mention who is remaining?

7:42 p.m.- And the trend of a player I mention in a post getting drafted immediately continues. Buffalo just selected Cordy Glenn at No. 41. A certain left tackle from Stanford is still available and I say that with my fingers crossed.

7:40 p.m.- NFC South foe the Carolina Panthers have made their selection and it’s another popular player in Atlanta circles. Amini Silatolu, a guard from Midwestern State. There are still other players available, players that were believed to be higher rated than some of the players that have been selected in the last few picks. Georgia’s Cordy Glenn is a big and talented guard that is still available. Many felt Silatolu would be around for the Falcons at No. 55. He’s a small-school player but scouts loved his big, physical and nasty play. Silatolu will be expected to step in and start immediately on the inside of Carolina’s offensive line. While quarterback Cam Newton is a talented runner, you can only assume the Panthers would like to run the ball more this coming season with the running  backs in addition to Newton. Silatolu is a player that can help with that and Atlanta’s defensive tackles Jonathan Babineaux and Corey Peters, among others, will get very used to the Midwestern State product.

7:30 p.m.- The Jacksonville Jaguars just picked Clemson defensive end Andre Branch, a player that many linked to the Falcons during the offseason. AtlantaFalcons.com profiled Branch earlier this offseason and at various points during draft season Branch was considered a first-round pick. He’s not going to make it to No. 55 tonight, but a Clemson teammate of Branch’s, Brandon Thompson, a big ol’ defensive tackle, could be around when the Falcons take their pick in around an hour.

7:12 p.m.- Earlier this evening on Falcons Draft Central, former Falcons linebacker Coy Wire said he had a new name for the Georgia Dome as the Falcons continue their ascent in the NFL. He wants the dome to be called “The Aviary”, defined as “a large enclosure for confining birds.”

It’s a pretty great name. Falcons fan @Paulitik74 says when the Falcons win the Super Bowl he thinks the dome should be renamed after head coach Mike Smith. “Mike Smith Field,” he says and when you go to the game, you can say “I’ll see you at The Smitty.”

6:45 p.m.- Last night’s draft was quite an experience. The 19 trades that we’ve witnessed in the first round (some of which didn’t all come last night) were the most since at least 1970. The previous high during that span was 15 in 1995.

If you were like me last night, you were watching the draft on TV. Combined from ESPN and the NFL Network, 25.3 million other people were watching as well. The combined two-network average of 8.1 million viewers was 16 percent over last year’s number and ranks as the second-most watched first round ever (8.3 million in 2010).

6:30 p.m. - Ready for Round Two?

The NFL Draft party cranks back up tonight and after one of the wildest Round Ones in league history, there doesn’t seem to be any let-up in sight. The Falcons’ first pick of the draft comes tonight at No. 55. Some of the selections that came in last night’s first round surprised some while others surprised none. What did happen is the sliding of several talented offensive linemen, specifically two left tackles, a projected need for the Falcons.

Jonathan Martin, a six-foot-five, 312-pound Stanford product, was believed by many to be a first-round player. Ohio State’s Mike Adams is also considered a top-tier, fringe first-rounder as well. All afternoon, the buzz among Falcons fans on Twitter was if Thomas Dimitroff and the Falcons front office will pull the trigger on a move to move up into the upper portion of the second round to snag one of those two players.

A number of other talented players still remain on the board from numerous positions. Vinny Curry, Devon Still, Jerel Worthy, Coby Fleener, Andre Branch and Brandon Thompson are among the players still left for the Falcons to consider.

Who do you think it’ll be at No. 55 or will the Falcons move up? Let me know on Twitter.

11:04 p.m.- The last two picks of the night come through and Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill is still on the board as is UGA’s Cordy Glenn. In fact, there are a number of talented players still available, including Clemson defense end Andre Branch. We’ll pick up the blog tomorrow night when we begin Round Two at 7 p.m. We’ll have more from Falcons Draft Central tomorrow as the action really picks up as we approach Atlanta’s second round pick at No. 55.

10:46 p.m.- The media room currently thinks Georgia Tech wide receiver Stephen Hill is the pick for each team for the remainder of the first round. Let’s see if that’s eventually right.

In other news, Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith is the first Notre Dame defender taken in the first round since 1997.

10:29 p.m.- Many Falcons fans have been very kind to many of the AtlantaFalcons.com crew on Twitter tonight. We were just told by a few great and loyal Falcons fans that we’re “tireless”. What they don’t understand is that we’re just like everyone else: we’re sitting around the media room with about six other guys discussing each pick as it comes through. I’m personally keeping track of things on Twitter as well so I know the picks before they come in. I’ve taken advantage of that a few times. We appreciate the fans a great deal, but at the end of the day, we’re no different than anyone else.

10:10 p.m.- A number of offensive linemen are sliding in the first round and that’s a position group many believe the Falcons could stand to upgrade in. Players like UGA’s Cordy Glenn, Stanford’s Jonathan Martin and Iowa’s Riley Reiff are still available. Only one offensive lineman has been drafted so far in the first round and things could get interesting late in the round as teams begin to consider moving back into the first to take some of these quality linemen.

10:00 p.m.- Shea McClellin from Boise State was just selected by Chicago. He’s an outside linebacker/defensive end and he’s a player that appeared to be rising in the last few days, but few saw him being picked that high. In the Falcons media room, there’s a collection of a number of the media from around the city in it as well as some Falcons staffers, not a single sound was made when McClellin was selected. Most picks elicited some kind of response from the room, but not this one.

9:50 p.m.- San Diego’s No. 18 pick is in and Chicago is on the clock. The draft is moving along at a nice pace. We’re over halfway done and less than two hours in. I think we’re on track to unplug this thing at midnight.

9:33 p.m.- The first big shocker of the night came at No. 15, Seattle’s pick. The Seahawks selected defensive end Bruce Irvin. Irvin was projected to go in the second round. He has the talent and potential to be a first round pick, but he’s lived a troubled life that has slowed his development. It’s a bold move and he’s the first defensive end to come off the board.

8:52 p.m.- PSA for Falcons fans: The Falcons Draft Central will crank back up at 9 p.m.

8:38 p.m.- Try to keep up with me here. The fifth trade of the first round saw Dallas jump to No. 6, in front of Falcons NFC South rival Tampa Bay. The Bucs traded back earlier in the night with Jacksonville. There were a lot of rumors that said the Bucs wanted LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. No one knows now, but with all the movement, the Bucs may have felt they could move back and still get the draft’s best corner. Dallas came out of nowhere and jumped ahead of Tampa, where St. Louis was by way of Washington. You got that? The Cowboys picked Claiborne and that means the Falcons won’t have to test out the talented rookie twice next season.

8:20 p.m.- The first major trade of the night, and the second of the draft, came in the minutes before the draft started. Cleveland traded up from No. 4 to the third spot that Minnesota occupied. Cleveland selected Alabama running back Trent Richardson. It’s the first of three trades that have happened in this draft so far. The most trades that have occurred in the first round of the draft was in 2001 when there were 14. With three in the books and rumors flying that Buffalo, among others (it’s going to be a long night!), want to move backwards in the draft, it could be close to a record-setting night. Any guesses on how many trades you think we’ll see tonight. Let me know on Twitter.

8:06 p.m.- The commissioner just announced the worst-kept secret in the entire draft. Indianapolis selected quarterback Andrew Luck. It took about three minutes for the Colts to turn in their selection and the clock is now on Washington to make theirs. I’m going to go ahead and tell you it’s Robert Griffin III, but that’s also been old news for quite a while.

7:42 p.m.- I’m watching Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay on Falcons Draft Central. McKay had a lot of insight into what’s going on in the moments leading up to the draft and during the draft, fueled by his experience as a general manager in the NFL. He said months, miles and a lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into the scouting of the players and the final decisions during the draft. Ultimately, he said he felt the teams that prepare the best for their draft selections will do the best.

Away from the topic of the draft, he shared another example of how the Falcons franchise listens to their fans. McKay said Falcons fans have expressed disappointment that while at the Georgia Dome they’re unable to see the replay that the referee is watching when a play is under review. McKay said coming this season, on the big screen in the dome, fans will be able to see exactly what the official is watching.

“Whatever he sees, you will see,” McKay said.

7:30 p.m.-  The NFL draft is now a 24-hour, 365-days-a-year engine that captures the minds of football fans. It all leads up to tonight. In 30 minutes we’ll begin the 2012 NFL Draft and while the Falcons don’t have a pick in the first round, there won’t be a lack of drama and storylines to follow from the rest of the league.

In fact, after Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s stealth move to acquire cornerback Asante Samuel from Philly, many people think the GM has another bold move up his sleeve. That remains to be seen, but the draft never fails to entertain us football fans.

Social media has introduced an entirely new means of following all the action on draft night. The Falcons will be using Twitter tonight to follow what their fans are saying as they watch the draft and throughout the evening (and the entire draft!) we’ll have the live Falcons Draft Central to entertain you as well. The Draft Central will feature live answers to your questions as well as exclusive interviews and analysis with the AtlantaFalcons.com team, the media and former players.

When you’re not watching the draft, discussing the draft on Twitter, watching the Falcons Draft Central or actually spending time with your loved ones, keep it refreshed here. I’ll be blogging all evening.

The NFL Draft, televised over three days, begins with the first round on Thursday evening. Rounds two and three will take place Friday night and rounds four through seven will complete the draft on Saturday. This year’s draft marks the third time the NFL will conduct the annual event in primetime and the second time it will be conducted over three days. Each team will have ten minutes in between selections in the first round, seven minutes per pick in the second round and five minutes for each pick in the final five rounds.

This year the Falcons have five draft picks, one in the second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. They used this year’s first-round pick as part of the Julio Jones first-round draft selection last year and on Wednesday sent a seventh-round pick to Philadelphia to acquire Asante Samuel.

Though they’re without a first-round pick, the Falcons under general manager Thomas Dimitroff should still be able to find players that can contribute in a number of ways. Dimitroff has had success finding players throughout the draft in his four seasons with the Falcons. Of Atlanta’s 32 draft picks since 2008, 26 of them are still with the team, a 81.3 percent retention rate, second in the league.

Eight of Atlanta’s projected starters next year have come during the Dimitroff drafts and 13 are original Falcons draft selections.

The Falcons aren’t the only NFC South team without a first-round pick this year. The New Orleans Saints are without a first rounder as well, given up in the trade up last year for running back Mark Ingram. Their first pick will come in the third round, pick No. 89.

The Carolina Panthers will pick ninth overall in the first round and also have picks in the second, fourth, fifth, sixth (two picks) and seventh rounds.

The Tampa Bay Bucs pick fifth overall in the first round and second round, third round, fifth round, sixth round and seventh round picks.

Miscellaneous Notes on the 2012 Draft:

• Alabama could have five players taken in the first round, tying them for second-most first-round selections from one school in one draft year. The University of Miami has six first-round selections in 2004. USC in 1968, Miami in 2002 and Ohio State in 2006 all had five first-round selections.
• South Carolina has had only nine first-round picks in the school’s history, but it may see two go in the first in 2012. Melvin Ingram and Stephon Gilmore could be those two players, the first time two players from the school were drafted in the first round since 1981. Falcons defensive end John Abraham was a first-round pick from South Carolina by the New York Jets in 2000 and cornerback Dunta Robinson was Houston’s first-round pick in 2004, also from USC.
• Three players who began their football-playing careers outside of the U.S. could be selected this year. German defensive end Markus Kuhn would become the third European-trained player picked by an NFL team, following New England’s Sebastian Vollmer (2009) and Romeo Bandison (1994). The past 30 drafts have seen 18 Canadians selected and two more could make that list this season. Boise State’s Tyrone Crawford is from Windsor, Ontario and Baylor’s Philip Blake is from Toronto.
• In 2011 there were four first-round trades. The most first-round trades was 14 in 2001.
• Last year 16 offensive and 16 defensive players were drafted in the first round.
• Auburn, Notre Dame and Southern California all hold the record for the most No. 1 overall picks. Last year’s first overall pick, Carolina’s Cam Newton, played at Auburn.
• Texas holds the record for the most players taken in the entire draft with 17 players selected in 1984.
• In the past ten years there have been four occurrences where players with the same last name were drafted consecutively. The most recent instance of this was in the first round of the 2008 draft. Miami selected Jake Long with the No. 1 overall pick and St. Louis took Chris Long with the No. 2 overall pick.

The final Draft Spotlight of the draft season comes just one full day before the NFL Draft begins on Thursday. This week we return to the Falcons’ second-round pick, No. 55 overall, and examine a player who could be in the mix for the Falcons. Clemson defensive tackle Brandon Thompson is a name that has been closely linked to Atlanta in recent weeks and to get a better understanding of him we return to Ian Kenyon, Sideline Scouting‘s vice president of scouting, and his services.

In the area of odd nicknames, Thompson takes the cake so to speak. The six-foot-two, 314-pound lineman is known as “Yams,” a title given to him for his large thighs that have helped him anchor the middle of Clemson’s defensive line in recent years. It’s an apt comparison, Thompson’s thighs to yams, because of yams meaty appearance, which is larger than traditional potatoes or sweet potatoes.

It’s also suitable because what he does with those thighs. Thompson’s large frame allows him to anchor well and he’s been a near-immovable force in the middle during his college career. A tremendous run stopper already, Thompson rounded out his game during his senior season when he registered 77 tackles and a team-high 18 quarterback pressures.

Some scouts still view Thompson as a run-stopper only and while Kenyon doesn’t entirely agree with that, he is concerned about the defensive tackle’s lack of sack production in college.

“Thompson is big defensive tackle who fits best in a 4-3 scheme and can play both the 3-technique and nose tackle positions in a 4-3 system,” Kenyon said. “He’s got a powerful base and is a space eater at 314 pounds. … Thompson is more of a run stuffer than a pass rusher, he only had 4.5 career sacks and primarily uses just a bull rush move and he lacks the pass rush capabilities to be a force in the middle but he’ll be a good find for someone in the second round.”

However, Thompson was a focal point on the Clemson defense and often found himself fighting through double teams in the middle. Scouts love his strength and smarts. An Academic Honor Roll member during the 2010 season, Thompson has a 450-pound bench press and 36 reps of 225 on his resume. Add to that a 615-pound squat lift and a 370-pound power clean lift and the “Yams” nickname starts to make some sense.

Thompson displays a quick and forceful first step and stays stout in the middle. Based on his run stopping alone, many believe he’s NFL ready right now.

“He’s more of a run defender but he does have some pass rush capabilities,” Kenyon said. “He’s got a strong bull rush up the middle, but he’s more of a straight line pass rusher, he’s not the type of guy who is going to consistently get into the backfield and make plays.”

Kenyon sees some of New Orleans’ Sedrick Ellis in his game, and thinks an addition like Thompson to the Falcons defensive line would continue the strong run defense in Atlanta and still wouldn’t hurt the pass rush with some coaching, especially if the big tackle can garner some double-team attention.

Thompson has great awareness on the field and his record is clean. A highly coachable player, he enters the NFL with a proven run defending skill set and the attributes to further develop as a pass rusher. Because of some of the other players available at the deep defensive tackle position this year, Thompson’s stock has fallen a little.

“I think that there are two things that keep him from being in that top echelon of defensive tackles this year: scheme versatility and pass rushing,” Kenyon said. “A lot of these guys being talked about in the first round mix (Poe, Cox, Still, Brockers) can play in any defensive system and can switch between  being a 4-3 defensive tackle or a 3-4 defensive end, Thompson should be looked at as simply a 4-3 defensive tackle. Those four players mentioned above also all have the ability to get to the quarterback and have good pass rush ability, but Thompson lacks that and is more of a plug the middle type of player.”

NFLDraftScout.com ranks Thompson as the seventh-best DT prospect available in the draft and has a solid second-round grade. A number of mock drafts have recently linked Thompson to the Falcons in the second round and with head coach Mike Smith’s philosophy of a strong defensive line rotation in place in Atlanta, Thompson would make a great addition to an already young and improving defensive line.

The Vitals

• Brandon Thompson Clemson Bio

Brandon Thompson Articles

• Brandon Thompson Scouting Report
• Thompson interview
• Thompson was ranked 15th among the top 50 players during the season by SI.com’s Tony Pauline

Brandon Thompson Videos

• Thompson Senior Bowl interview
• Thompson Draft Profile
• Thompson highlights vs. Georgia Tech 

The Falcons officially began their season under new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan on Monday. On Tuesday, Sean Weatherspoon shared some of his initial takeaways from the longtime NFL coordinator.

Weatherspoon said the defense had their first meeting on Tuesday and while it will be a while before they come back together, they didn’t waste any time setting their expectations for the 2012 season.

“Basically what (the meeting) was about was the vision we see for our defense and talking about the cornerstrones and what we want our defense to look like,” Weatherspoon said. “I think it’s going to be a pretty fun year under coach Nolan.”

Nolan brings 14 years of NFL defensive coordinator experience to the Falcons. He’s employed a variety of schemes during his time in the league and is regarded as one of the most versatile and intelligent defensive minds in the game.

Weatherspoon said he initially met with Nolan a few weeks back and enjoyed putting a face with the name he’d heard so much about. He got a glimpse of the new coordinator’s mentality and personality Tuesday during their defensive meeting and also while the coordinator stuck his head in during individual position group meetings.

Nolan’s defenses are known for their aggressive nature and the linebacker said that attitude jumped out early on. It’s an attitude he identifies with and is excited about.

“Based on today in our meeting, I like his intensity,” Weatherspoon said. “We break every meeting with ‘Ready, Break!’ That’s something that’s new. You can sense that he’s intense based on that alone.”

Falcons fans can expect a little less of one thing from third-year linebacker Sean Weatherspoon in the coming season, but a little more of something else.

The offseason exit of former middle linebacker and defensive leader Curtis Lofton means some of the leadership on defense will fall on the shoulders of outside linebacker Weatherspoon. On Tuesday, he said the most notable change in his role will be on third downs. This season on the key defensive down, Weatherspoon will be responsible for directing the defense into position and it means a little less celebrating after a key play.

“From what I’ve been told, I’ll be the one getting the signals from the sidelines,” the linebacker said. “That’s going to be something that’s different because last year I’d make a play and I’d have a chance to celebrate a little longer and Curtis would round up the guys and then I’d come to the huddle. This year if I make a play I’ve got to make sure I’m looking to the sideline to make sure I’m getting the call from coach, get the defense lined up and be ready to go.”

The always cordial Weatherspoon made sure to take to Twitter following his press conference to assure Falcons fans that he’d still be doing some of his famous post-play spoon dances.

“Don’t worry Falcons Fans, I am still gonna pull the Spoon out and #EatGreedy,” he wrote. “I’m just gonna get back to the huddle quicker, lol.”

Weatherspoon said he anticipates that he’ll need to be more verbal and not just on third downs. With a laugh, he said he won’t have a problem talking a little more. Already a player whose voice is not lost on the field, Weatherspoon said he looks forward to the increased leadership role.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I think Im ready for that, to do a  little more and step out there and do some different things. I look forward to the challenge and I think it’s going to be fun.”

He said he did some of the play calling as a senior while at Missouri and also performed that role during the Senior Bowl following the 2009 college season.

The absence of Lofton means players like Weatherspoon will be needed in new roles. Second-year middle linebacker Akeem Dent will have an opportunity to step in and replace Lofton in the middle and the two of them will have a challenge and an opportunity in front of them. He’s also thankful for some of the veteran leadership that is still in place for Atlanta.

“When you’ve had someone that’s been the focal point of the defense for three or four years it’s tough to replace,” he said. “We’ve got to work hard together. I think coach (Mike) Nolan has a system in place and coach (Glenn) Pires will do a great job. All the older guys like Steve (Nicholas) and even Lofa (Tatupu) coming in with his experience, I think we’ll all do a great job of moving on.”

In case you haven’t heard by now, the Falcons have a new offensive coordinator. Gone is four-year coordinator Mike Mularkey, who accepted a head coaching role in Jacksonville following last season. In Mularkey’s absence comes Dirk Koetter, the Jaguars offensive coordinator since 2007.

It remains to be seen what kind of impact Koetter will have on the offense and what they do on the field during the 2012 season, but quarterback Matt Ryan said on Tuesday the presence of a new voice leading the offense is beneficial, even after just a few days of meetings.

“I’ve enjoyed working with Dirk so far,” Ryan said. “I think from just our meetings the last two days, I’m excited about it. I think he brings a different perspective from Mike Mularkey over the last couple of years. Sometimes when things are explained in different ways to guys, it seeps in and guys learn better that way. Hopefully, Dirk will provide that for us. I think he will.”

Ryan estimates about 20 percent of Koetter’s playbook is new, but said the differences in how Koetter will teach and install the offense could be beneficial. Ultimately, however, he said the true effectiveness of the new coordinator’s playbook will fall on the shoulders of the players.

“I think as a player you have to learn the system and scheme as best you can, but your primary focus has to be on execution,” Ryan said. “I think from a player perspective, our execution has to be better. It hasn’t been up to the standard that we need to be at and that’s what we’re going to work on this offseason.”

Because it’s only been a few days since the Falcons have reconvened and no actual field work has occured, Ryan wasn’t ready to say how aggressive Koetter’s scheme is or discuss real changes, but he’s happy to see Koetter is leaving some of the things in the old scheme that many of the players were familiar with.

Ryan describes the phase of installation right now as “rudimentary stages” and he’s only just begun to dig into a playbook that he says is just as big and with just as many pages as the old one had.

Although he doesn’t know all the differences and similarities at this time, what he does know is Koetter brings a new voice to the Falcons and he’s happy to hear it.

Perhaps a little lost in the buzz of the Falcons’ beginning offseason workouts was a note from the NFL on Monday that offseason rosters have expanded from 80 players to 90 players for each team. As of 4 pm Tuesday, the rosters will be allowed to expand to 90.

There are no anticipated changes to the allowed 53-man rosters for the regular season, however the roster limit in the preseason will decrease from 90 to 80 following the third preseason game. Final cutdowns from 80 to 53 will come after the final preseason game, less than a week before the regular season begins.

Atlanta currently has 65 players on the roster.

It’s draft season and with just a few days remaining before the first night of the NFL Draft, the conversations about what team will select who and where is endless.

To change things up a bit, let’s examine where some of the players in the Thomas Dimitroff era have come from before they landed with the Falcons.

Since Dimitroff assumed the general manager’s role with Atlanta in 2008, he’s made 32 selections. We’ve already established that Dimitroff has done an excellent job in retaining the players he’s drafting and utilizing them on the roster, but where did all these players come from?

Perhaps examining where many of the players drafted by Dimitroff played can offer insight into something that resembles a draft strategy. Although that is unlikely, it’s always interesting to see what conferences the Falcons are dipping into the most.

It’s no secret that the SEC offers what most believe is the best brand of football in college football. The conference has the national championships and the top-ranked players throughout the draft to back it up. So it’s no surprise that Dimitroff has selected nine players from the SEC for the Falcons.

Of those nine picks, six are still on the roster. Julio Jones, Akeem Dent, Cliff Matthews, Peria Jerry, Corey Peters and Mike Johnson are all from the SEC.

There’s a three-way tie for the conference in second place. The ACC, the Big 12 and the Pac-12 all have contributed five players.

The Big Sky, home of Montana and Kroy Biermann and Shann Schillinger, and the WAC (Andrew Jackson and Chris Owens) are in third. The Big East, the Atlantic 10, the Southern Conference and the Mountain West have all contributed one player.

In the history of the franchise, Oklahoma and University of Southern California are the schools that have contributed the most to the Falcons. The team has selected 11 players from both schools. Ohio State is a close second with 10 players.

Two other interesting notes:

• Six players in franchise history have been drafted from Montana. Before Biermann and Schillinger, the last player from Montana was Walt Brett, a fourth-round defensive end selection from 1976.
• Although Brent Grimes was not a draft pick by the Falcons, his small-school stature is well known. A former Shippensburgh University player, he’s not the only player to grace a Falcons roster from the small Pennsylvania school.  In 1966 the Falcons drafted Steve Ecker, a punter from Shippensburgh. He was the first player drafted by an NFL team from the school.

During the offseason we’ll take a look at a hot topic on the Talk About the Falcons department of FalconsLife and examine what’s on the minds of Falcons fans.

Many of this week’s topics on FalconsLife revolve, as expected, around the NFL draft coming up on Thursday. Most pundits believe the Falcons need to upgrade the left tackle position, but without a first-round pick, that will be challenging to do so with starting-caliber, elite-level players.

Last season Will Svitek, a Falcon since 2009, moved into the starting lineup for the Falcons at left tackle when an injury to Sam Baker created a hole. Svitek’s play helped solidify a shaky line and he did little to hurt the team with his play.

Falcons fan Gimmesomo!!! shares his view of the left tackle situation. “Why is there all this clamouring for a LT?” he asks, saying that Svitek played well when his number was called.

It’s a valid question and one that comes up a lot around draft time. Svitek has been a backup tackle for most of his career and wasn’t given an opportunity to start more than a few games in a season until last season when he started a career-high ten games. When the topic of the draft comes up, it’s all about finding long-term solutions at positions.

While Svitek has played admirably, the 30-year-old tackle isn’t seen by some as the long-term solution, hence the need for the expense of a draft pick. What the discussion on Svitek reveals is that he’s a popular player among the fans for doing what he’s been able to do, step in and solidify.

“Svitek is solid… If we need him to start this year he could but i don’t think he is a long term answer,” wrote another fan, atljbo.

The consensus for Svitek is similar to those sentiments. Many fans view him in a similar way they do Todd Weiner, a long-time Falcon who converted to left tackle in 2008 during his final season in the NFL. Weiner gutted through some serious injuries that season to help the Falcons make it to the playoffs. His blue-collar and tough approach to the game has placed him in select company among Falcons faithful.

Most believe Svitek can get the job done if needed, but they still believe a younger option is something they want. The thread reads like it’s on repeat, with fan after fan saying he’s a solid player that can start in a pinch. The beauty of what Svitek brings is that while he can start, assuming the position is filled by someone younger, he suddenly becomes reliable and game-experienced depth.

No matter where you stand on the Svitek debate, you can’t argue with what he’s accomplished for the Falcons. It’s clear they’re better off with him than without him, no matter where he’s playing.

That was in Week 13 of the 2009 season and Bryant is still the kicker for the Falcons. He’s held onto his job over the last two seasons by simply being one of the best in the business at what he does. A move that appeared to be just a bridge until a younger and better option came along turned out to be one of the most important for the Falcons.

Of the 70 field goals Bryant’s attempted since 2009 for the Falcons, he’s only missed eight. He’s attempted 99 point-afters and has hit every single one. The kicker’s value goes well beyond those impressive stats. He didn’t just shore up a kicking game that had gone bad three seasons ago, he gave it consistency and reliability. Bryant’s conversion percentages are impressive and he’s added a few game-winners in there along the way.

Last season, Bryant went streaking to the tune of 30 consecutive made field goals, a streak that began in 2010 and set the franchise record at 27. It was a 41-yarder in Week 10 that did him in. After the streak ended, Bryant closed the season converting 12 of his final 13 field goal opportunities.

Bryant’s consistency last season amounted to a 93.1 field goal percentage, the best in the league. Since joining the Falcons in ’09, his 88.6 field goal percentage ranks second.

Perhaps an even better way to understand the value Bryant has added to his team is by simply counting points.

The Falcons finished at No. 7 and No. 5 in the league in total points scored in the 2011 and 2010 seasons. In 2010 Atlanta scored a total of 414 points and 402 in 2011.

Between field goals and extra points made, Bryant scored 126 points in 2011 and 128 in 2010. In total, over two seasons, Bryant’s 254 points amounted to 31 percent of the Falcons’ total points scored.

Most people would agree a player that is nearly flawless in the execution of his job and scores over 30 percent of a team’s points is highly valuable.

Not many speculators believe the Falcons will select a wide receiver in the NFL draft this season at any point, but after Atlanta’s first two picks in the second and third rounds however, anything can happen.

As we continue to examine players Atlanta may consider in the middle rounds with the draft spotlight, this week we look at Joe Adams, Arkansas’ dynamic wide receiver and return man. Sideline Scouting‘s Ian Kenyon, the site’s vice president of scouting, helps this week in understanding everything about the 5-foot-11, 179-pound receiver.

Scouts are divided on Adams. After watching him perform at an All-American level during his final seasons in Arkansas’ prolific offense, many thought he’d enter the scouting season as a fast-riser up many team’s boards. Believed to be electrifyingly fast based on how he’s played the game, the NFL Combine was where Adams was expected to go and blaze a sub-4.3 40 time.

Instead he ran a 4.55 and many came away disappointed. But Adams’ Combine performance can’t overshadow what he accomplished in his career at Arkansas and also what he did at the Senior Bowl to begin the offseason. Kenyon isn’t worried about Adams’ slow time and still sees a player that’s as quick as he is fast and his straight-line-on-the-field speed is exciting.

“Adams is an electrifying playmaker who can contribute as a wide receiver and as a punt returner,” Kenyon said. “He can line up outside but his best fit is in the slot where he can work the middle of the field and make plays with the ball in space. Though he didn’t run well at the Combine, he plays much faster and has elite short area quickness to shake defenders.”

The wide receiver had a solid senior year with 54 catches for 652 yards and three touchdowns. Numbers like that are impressive considering how explosive the Arkansas offense was during 2011. There were plenty of playmakers on the field, but what sets Adams apart is his abilities in the return game.

Adams, though slightly underrated because of his size and perceived speed, may be one of the best pure athletes in the draft. In addition to his three touchdowns receiving in 2011, he added five more scores, one as a rusher and four as a punt returner. Kenyon doesn’t see a better return man in the draft this year.

“He’s probably the best return guy in this class, he had the return of the year last year against Tennessee (see below),” Kenyon said. “Adams is a terrific open field runner who sees running lanes and that’s what helps him both as a receiver and as a returner. It’s definitely an added value to his draft stock. I wouldn’t say that his return ability is what gets him drafted, but it is one of those things where if a team views Adams and another prospect on the same level, his return ability can be the extra factor to give him the edge.”

His return prowess earned him numerous All-American honors last season and he also became the first recepient of the Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award. His four punt return touchdowns led the nation last season and his 16.89 yards per return was second in the country. Adams was the only player in the nation last season with a rushing and receiving touchdown and multiple return touchdowns.

Although the Falcons appear stocked at wide receiver with Roddy White, Julio Jones, Harry Douglas and young players like Kerry Meier and Kevin Cone, they did lose a receiver during free agency. Eric Weems, the team’s former return man, signed with Chicago, opening up a job on the roster. Adams, who scouts believe can improve his pass-catching ability, could join the Falcons in a reserve role, continuing to hone his receiver skillset while making an impact as the team’s returner.

His size makes him best-suited as a slot receiver in the NFL and his explosive burst and first step mean he carries the traits desired at the position at the next level. An extremely versatile player, he can also be lined up in the backfield, as his 92-yard rushing touchdown run demonstrates.

Kenyon sees another receiver with similar knocks entering the draft when he watches Adams. Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown is a receiver quickly being recognized as a talented deep threat and Kenyon sees a similar player.

“Adams shares some similarities with current Pittsburgh Steeler Antonio Brown,” he said. “Brown disappointed, too, with his 40 but on the field the speed translates and both players do a great job of tracking the deep ball.”

If scouts need further proof that Adams is a playmaker beyond what he accomplished at Arkansas, they need to look no further than his performance at the Senior Bowl. Named the South’s MVP, Adams walked away with 133 yards on eight catches, against some of the best senior competition in the draft.

Projected to go somewhere in the third or fourth rounds, Adams could be a strong fit with the Falcons based on his return ability alone. His versatility and potential to grow are also very intriguing.

The Vitals

• Joe Adams Arkansas Bio
• Joe Adams Twitter

Joe Adams Articles

• Joe Adams Scouting Report
• Report from Adams’ week at the Senior Bowl
• A pre-Combine report on Adams

Joe Adams Videos

• Adams Arkansas highlights
• Adams’ 92-yard TD run
• Adams’ remarkable 60-yard TD punt return

On Tuesday, the Falcons announced their 2012 schedule.

The schedule features the traditional home and away matchups with the other NFC South teams, Carolina, New Orleans and Tampa. It also features the AFC South this year.

The schedule is heavy on the AFC South at the beginning this season. The Falcons open on the road in Kansas City before returning home to host the Broncos in the third Monday night game of 2012. Atlanta will return to the road on Week 3, traveling to San Diego. They finish up the AFC West portion of the schedule against Oakland, at home, in Week 6. The Falcons are 5-0 at San Diego and under head coach Mike Smith they are 5-0 on west coast trips.

One interesting characteristic of this year’s schedule is that the Falcons will not play back-to-back home or road games all season, a rarity in the NFL. Last season, Atlanta played back-to-back road games three different times.

Atlanta will get plenty of national coverage during 2012. They’ll play four nationally televised games, including the Monday night Denver matchup. The Falcons will also face Dallas in Week 9 on Sunday night, New Orleans on Thursday night in Week 13 and the Lions in Week 16 on Saturday night.

The Week 16 Monday night affair against the Lions marks the third year in a row the Falcons will play the final Monday night game of the season. Due to the Christmas holiday, the game will be played on Saturday night, December 22.

The Falcons’ game against the Giants marks the third consecutive season they will face the defending Super Bowl Champions of the previous year.

Five of the final eight games on the season will be against NFC South opponents, including New Orleans twice during that stretch.

The Falcons bye week this season comes in Week 7, sandwiched between the home game against Oakland and a road game against Philadelphia.

It’s the fifth straight season the Falcons will face the Eagles and Atlanta’s final game of the season comes against the Bucs, the third time in four seasons this has happened.

The 2012 opponents’ record last season is 125-131 and in total, the Falcons have won 161 games against their 2012 foes. Since 2008, the Falcons have a 22-16 record against its 2012 opponents.

Click here to view the entire 2012 Atlanta Falcons schedule

Click here to download our printer-friendly PDF schedule

Click here to learn more details and have the opportunity to purchase season tickets for 2012.

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During the offseason we’ll take a look at a hot topic on the Talk About the Falcons department of FalconsLife and examine what’s on the minds of Falcons fans.

This week’s topic involved Matt Ryan, but it’s not about the big news that came this week about him joining Twitter.

Instead, Falcons fan tobyd77 poses a thought about a specific aspect of new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter’s offense. Tobyd77 shared a video of highlights of a 2007 Jaguars game that showed Koetter and the Jags utilizing a four-receiver offensive set very well.

“I can see Matt and the guys having a fun time with Dirks (sic) four vert package and the screen game that he will bring to the ATL,” he wrote.

The video shows Jacksonville utilizing four receivers, but instead of sending everyone deep, the receivers run a variety of routes, some intermediate and some deep. It’s a profile of an offense that if run with an intelligent quarterback who is capable of making reads can have a lot of success.

Tobyd77 mentions the New Orleans offense and what they are able to do so well. The Saints run an offense similar to this and it suits Saints quarterback Drew Brees very well. Ryan has the attributes to perform within this offense, assuming it’s something Koetter will install in Atlanta.

The key to the offense is obviously the quarterback and his ability to get the ball out, but it’s also dependent on receivers running the routes effectively to utilize lanes that lead to openings. With Roddy White, Julio Jones and Harry Douglas as the Falcons’ first three receivers, they appear set with receivers that can work within the offense.

Many of the throws made on the video clip were actually crossing routes in the intermediate area. Atlanta’s top three receivers have far more talent than Jacksonville had at the time. Jones in particular could be exciting in this style of offense. Last season he made plays deep, but some of his most impressive plays came on short and intermediate passes that he turned into big plays using his strength and speed.

Jones averaged 17.8 yards per catch last season and in an offense purely designed to highlight his exceptional skills that number should not take a step back next season.

Ryan has demonstrated toughness and moxy in some tough games over the last four seasons. When speaking of pure quarterback skills, Ryan has excellent accuracy, studies defenses religiously and makes sound decisions at the line. With four receivers running routes and a running back on a wheel out of the backfield, Ryan will have plenty of options and he’s demonstrated this far in his career that he is capable of making the right decision on where to go with the football.

Many that follow the Falcons have expressed concern about Ryan’s deep-ball accuracy. Whether it’s his accuracy or arm strength, both of been questioned when it comes to making deep plays. Ryan’s shown he can complete passes like that, but he’s missed on some opportunities in recent seasons as well.

Ryan said recently he is adding some muscle this season and that could assist in his arm strength and that entire phase of his game is something he has identified as wanting to improve. A four-receiver set does not mean deep passes on every play however. Ryan will be able to choose when he goes deep and he will be prepared to do so. Instead this offense allows playmakers like Jones, Douglas and White to excel without running forty yards up the field before the throw hits their hands.

Another poster on the thread, neko, added his two cents about this and it’s worth about 10.

“Yep, the 4-vertical does not equate deep throws,” he wrote. “It is creative and aggressive route design that opens up the field & can be deadly with intelligent pre-snap reads and audibles. A wide open WR is commonplace in the short & intermediate range because of the way the scheme attacks zones and exploits mismatches. The screen component keeps everyone honest and tightens them a bit towards the LOS… Ryan should shine in this.”

Just days after the Falcons’ playoff loss to the Giants, general manager Thomas Dimitroff shared about as much of his plans for the offseason as he ever has.

With the Falcons entering a free agency period that would see their own free agency numbers reach double digits, Dimitroff said a number that he hoped to keep from his team’s free agency class. He arrived at the number eight and called the players he hoped to re-sign the core of his football team.

ESPN blogger Pat Yasinskas recently shared some numbers that show the Falcons have the second-highest retention numbers in the NFL.

Since 2008, Atlanta trails only the Minnesota Vikings, who have retained 82.1 percent of their 28 draft picks. The Falcons have made 32 selections during that time and have 28 still on the roster, 81.3 percent.

Going back before the 2008 draft class, the Falcons have demonstrated their desire to keep their players on their roster. During that same time, they re-signed or extended the contracts of players like Jonathan Babineaux and Roddy White. This season, the Falcons re-signed Todd McClure, John Abraham, Kroy Biermann, Thomas DeCoud and Harry Douglas, among others.

Atlanta’s 26 players from those four drafts rank as the third most retained in the league, behind only the Titans (28) and the Eagles (27). Twenty-eight of the Falcons’ 32 picks have remained in the league, moving on to the other teams.

Biermann, DeCoud and Douglas represent core players from Dimitroff’s first draft as the team’s general manager. The Falcons under Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith have always said they intended to build through the draft and supplement their roster with free agency. These retention statistics support that theory.

It’s also a positive for Atlanta moving forward. The Falcons’ willingness to re-sign their own is a sign to the existing draft picks on the roster that if they’re contributing members of the team, they will also have a great shot at returning to the franchise.

Team legacies like that are what make great franchises and championship contenders. The continuity from year to year of players that have grown up in a team’s system is incredibly valuable.

The Falcons have managed to draft suitable players for the franchise and then have continued to develop them over time. During that same four-year time frame when the Falcons were drafting wisely and keeping their own players, they’ve experienced the most successful run in franchise history with four-straight winning seasons.

Atlanta’s 28 drafted players still in the league is the eighth-highest in the NFL. It shows that Atlanta is bringing talented players into the league and keeping most of them on their own squad. On the contrary, San Francisco has drafted 31 players since 2008 and have retained 20 of them, but 30 of the picks remain in the league. They were able to pick NFL talent, but weren’t successful at keeping many of them.

Although some of Atlanta’s starters date beyond 2008, 14 of Atlanta’s 22 starters through 2011 were drafted by the franchise. In all 27 Falcons rookies have been active on game day since 2008. The Falcons have selected six players in the second round or later under Dimitroff that have gone on to become starters at some point during their career.

The league’s worst retention rate is Denver’s 48.6 percent. New Orleans’ rate is 68.2 percent, 11th in the league. Tampa finished tied for seventh with 70 percent and Carolina is 21st with 61.8 percent. The Falcons and the Vikings were the only two teams in the league that had a retention percentage above 80 percent.

Since Dabo Swinney took over the Clemson football program in 2008, the school has begun to churn out NFL-caliber players.

Clemson has seen a rise in the number of players drafted recently and 2012 may be their best year yet.

Considering that the Falcons have a couple of positions of need that Clemson could fill, it’s a draft class — particularly with defensive end Andre Branch and defensive tackle Brandon Thompson — to pay attention to.

Both players are ranked by most draft websites as second round picks and many believe Branch’s pass-rushing prowess will land him in the first round. If Branch is selected in the first round of this year’s draft, he’ll be the first Clemson player taken in round one since C.J. Spiller was selected in the first round by Buffalo in 2010.

The Falcons don’t select in this year’s draft until pick No. 55 in the second round, but both players appear to be on Atlanta’s radar. Branch was recently spotlighted by AtlantaFalcons.com. Thompson’s stock has risen during the offseason scouting process carried by a Combine performance that showcased the 6-foot-2, 314-pound tackle’s strength. He is also considered a smart player and could be an excellent second-round pick. Defensive tackle is considered by many a position of consideration in this year’s draft for the Falcons.

In addition to Thompson and Branch, tight end Dwayne Allen is another player projected to be selected in the second round this year. We also spotlighted Allen recently. No reports have directly linked Allen to the Falcons as of yet, but tight end is another position many mock-draft makers have pegged as a position Atlanta may be interested in improving in 2012.

After those three, Clemson has eight other players that could be selected in this year’s draft, headlined by cornerback Coty Sensabaugh. If just half of the remaining players get drafted, in addition to Allen, Thompson and Branch, the Clemson program will be sending the highest number of players to the NFL in their recent history. Last year, six players were drafted out of Clemson, including three in the second round, Jarvis Jenkins, Marcus Gilchrist and Da’Quan Bowers.

Since 2008 under Swinney, the number of players selected from the Clemson program has gone up each season. In 2008, two were selected. That number improved to four in 2009 and five in 2010.

The presence of Branch and Thompson on this list shows Clemson has put an exceptionally high number of defensive linemen into the NFL in recent years. Jenkins is a defensive tackle and Bowers is a defensive end. Defensive end Ricky Sapp was selected in the fourth round in the 2010 draft. Darrell Scott, a defensive tackle, was taken in the fourth round in 2009. Phillip Merling, a defensive end, was taken in the second round in 2008.

This week in the Draft Spotlight, we’ll continue to examine players the Falcons may consider in the third round and later. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, the website’s lead NFL Draft scout, returns once again, offering assistance on a fast-rising offensive lineman in this year’s draft, Miami (Ohio)’s guard Brandon Brooks.

At first glance Brooks fits the profile of general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s desired objective this offseason of adding girth. Standing six-foot-five and 346 pounds, Brooks is a very large man. During his five seasons in college (he redshirted his freshman year), he went from 290 pounds to his current weight and in the process turned himself into a legitimate NFL prospect.

Miller sees a player with a history of versatility and after the first tier of offensive line talent, Brooks is  player that could bring a lot of value.

“Brandon Brooks is among the more interesting offensive line prospects in this year’s class,” Miller said. “He’s played left tackle and both guard spots in his career, giving him much needed versatility to pique the interest of NFL teams.”

A four-year starter at Miami, Brooks was a three-time Second-Team All-MAC honoree. Scouts see a player that improved year over year during his time in college and has the frame to be an NFL-caliber starting offensive lineman. He enters the NFL already with the strength and ability to win in the running game, overwhelming defenders with his leverage and upper body strength.

Many scouts are concerned with his weight however. They see a player that has a slightly sloppy build that sometimes appears sluggish because of it. At his recent Pro Day, Brooks did a nice job of eliminating some of those concerns. He showed his trademark strength with 36 bench press reps, but he added a sub-five second 40 time and a vertical jump of 32 inches.

Scouts, including Miller, are also concerned about Brooks’ ability in pass protection. While they love what he brings to the running game, his technique, discipline and focus seem to be lacking as a pass protector.

“Brooks is a strong enough player to be a power blocker in a run scheme, but don’t expect much lateral quickness from him at guard,” Miller said. “He has a tough time changing direction once you get him moving and is more of a straight-line blocker.”

On the other hand, the guard seems to demonstrate a coachability and willingness to improve. Because of that, Brooks is still considered a third-round prospect. Miller places him solidly in the third round and within the range where the Falcons may consider adding a player of his size and ability.

If Brooks can be coached up, which it appears he can, he would be a great addition in the third round. Miller projects him, in a deep guard class, as the seventh-best prospect at the position and compares him to Leonard Davis, a former first-round pick that currently plays for the Lions.

The Vitals

• Brandon Brooks Miami Bio

Brandon Brooks Articles

• Brandon Brooks Scouting Report
• Brooks is among the players whose stock has risen
• Brooks is among the best players available not invited to the Combine

Brandon Brooks Videos

• Brooks Draft Profile
• Brooks bulldozes a scout at Pro Day 

Falcons owner and chairman Arthur Blank appeared on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive Show with Erik Kuselias and Peter Hanson on Wednesday morning, following recent Masters champion Bubba Watson’s interview from Tuesday.

On the show, Blank shared that two of his biggest passions in his life have been running The Home Depot, the American home improvement retailer that he co-founded in 1978, and the Atlanta Falcons. After retiring from The Home Depot in 2001, Blank purchased the Atlanta Falcons and began a project to turn the team into a viable and successful football franchise. He said being able to run both businesses with the same values and principles has provided him with great pride.

Blank was on the show to discuss his involvement with The First Tee, his PGA TOUR Superstores and the opening of the Rising Sun Golf Course at his Montana Mountain Sky Guest Ranch. Designed by Johnny Miller, the world-class golf facility offers impressive views of Paradise Valley, the 50,000-acre cattle ranch that is the setting for Blank’s ranch. Davis Love III, Tom Fazio and Tom Weiskopf also played roles in the designing the course. Blank said he enjoyed working with Miller and developed a great relationship with the former golfer and current lead golf analyst for NBC Sports.

The First Tee, a golf foundation dedicated to providing youth with development and life-enhancing opportunities through golf and sportsmanship, recently announced the Falcons owner and chairman’s naming as a trustee. Blank recently donated $1 million to support the foundation’s endeavors.

Through his role as owner of the PGA Tour Superstores, Blank learned about The First Tee and their initiatives. Blank said he was inspired by their work with children and wanted to be involved with the foundation through his Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

Blank said he is proud of the The First Tee’s goals to use lessons in golf to help children become productive and mature influencers in the modern world they are growing up in.

The PGA TOUR Superstores that Blank owns feature many of the same business philosophies that helped make The Home Depot a success. The service aspect of the golfing stores is aimed at helping customers not only find every product they need in the world of golf, but also helping them understand how to use the products. All 12 of the large stores include men’s and women’s professional golf instructors as well as club-fitting programs to ensure customers are happy and comfortable with their purchases.

UPDATE: Watch the full video of Blank’s appearance on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive Show here

Some Falcons fans scratched their head at the hiring of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter this offseason.

Falcons head coach Mike Smith selected Koetter based on the familiarity he had with the coordinator when the two worked together in Jacksonville. Smith’s last season with the Jaguars was in 2007, the last time the Jacksonville franchise made the playoffs.

Smith’s defense that season was a top-ten unit, but it was the offense that truly carried Jacksonville that season. Under Koetter’s direction Jacksonville scored the seventh-most points in the NFL that season.

Looking at what Koetter accomplished that season gives a glimpse into what he may be able to do with the Falcons in 2012.

Quarterback David Garrard was efficient for the Jaguars that season. His 28 touchdowns through the air was good for ninth in the NFL, but most impressive was how well he took care of the ball. His eight interceptions was the lowest in the league. Twenty-eight touchdowns is one less than Ryan’s career high, set this past season.

The Jags’ offense was carried by a strong running game, something Atlanta has always featured. While Smith has said leading running back Michael Turner will not carry the ball 300 times in 2012 if he can avoid it, he has never said the running game would be diminished. The presence of Jason Snelling and exciting second-year back Jacquizz Rodgers means there are some carries that can go around.

Sharing the carries is exactly what Jacksonville did in 2007. Fred Taylor, who is now retired and is considered one of the most underrated backs in the history of the game, rushed for 223 times for over 1,200 yards. A back who is now considered among the league’s elite was in his second season then, starting zero games for Jacksonville. Maurice Jones-Drew rushed 167 times for 768 yards. He was a touchdown machine that season, something he established quickly in his time in the NFL. He had nine that season and he had 34 touchdowns in his career before he even broke the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career in 2009.

A split like what Taylor and Jones-Drew shared wouldn’t be far-fetched in Atlanta this coming season. Turner has a nose for the endzone and Rodgers has flashed playmaking ability. While the carries may go around to more players, Atlanta’s running game has a chance to become even more dynamic.

One of the reasons Koetter leaned on the run game so much is because his talent was there. The Jags didn’t have a single wide receiver that season eclipse 1,000 yards. Reggie Williams has 629, Dennis Northcutt had 601 and Ernest Wilford had 518. Williams led the team with ten touchdown receptions and Northcutt was next with four.

Compare that trio to Atlanta’s receiving core that includes Roddy White, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez and Harry Douglas and the possibilities appear endless.

Jacksonville was near the bottom of the league with 29 attempts passing per game in ’07 and they were in the middle of the pack with 208 passing yards per game. That was with largely average players catching passes. Imagine what Koetter could do with players like White and Jones making things happen after the catch.

After the catch is the key for the Falcons in 2012. With White and Jones, they should be in good hands with that area of the passing game.

No one knows exactly what Koetter will do with the Falcons in 2012 and everyone knows he’s never had the talent on offense that he will have with Atlanta this season. One thing he has had in the past was a strong running game with two capable backs. In Atlanta he has that plus one wildcard in Snelling.

On paper it certainly appears that Koetter has the tools on offense to have a passing game that he’s dreamed of, something he could never get going in Jacksonville with the receivers on their roster. In Koetter’s five seasons in Jacksonville he never had a receiver that had over 1,000 yards. That almost definitely won’t be the case in Atlanta.

During the offseason we’ll take a look at a hot topic on the Talk About the Falcons department of FalconsLife and examine what’s on the minds of Falcons fans.

With the NFL draft quickly approaching, fans grow anxious with analyzation about what the Falcons may do with their draft picks, especially their first pick in the second round.

This week one of the topics generating a strong discussion on FalconsLife is the idea of using Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff’s past history of selecting players to determine what he and the franchise may do in this year’s draft.

Falcons fan freebird310 shared his observations on Dimitroff’s draft strategy and what that could mean for this year and even coming years’ drafts. Freebird310 points out that 26 players the GM has drafted are still with the team and 14 players have started more than one game.

He identifies a few qualities that Dimitroff appears to appreciate in the players he drafts. According to freebird310, 28 drafted players were seniors and one of the four juniors was redshirted, completing four seasons in college.

Additionally a Dimitroff player is traditionally regarded as a solid player, well-liked by his teammates and coaches and is a hard worker. They also have stayed away from players who have experienced any trouble while in college.

“The interesting thing to note here when considering players to pick for the Falcons is that they have not yet selected a player with either a team-related suspension or a prior arrest before they got drafted,” freebird310 wrote.

Freebird310 also notes one major trait of Dimitroff players, team captainship. Thirty two players were known as team captains or team leaders when drafted by Dimitroff out of college.

All of these tangibles have value, but as m2Falcons points out, they may be most valuable in offseasons like this past one when decisions had to be made on younger players like Thomas DeCoud and Kroy Biermann. The Falcons appear to have a pipeline of talent that could be useful to allow younger draft picks to mature at their own rate in the pro game.

“They are able to adjust to the NFL game mentally, mature psychologically, and develop physically to play at higher and consistent levels,” m2Falcons wrote. “This has the added benefit of transitioning them from cheap rookie contracts . . .”

Based on this theory, it would appear that when the younger draft picks, players like Lawrence Sidbury, are finally ready to step in and play a more significant role, like this season possibly, they are ready to do so.

One last thing the Falcons and Dimitroff have done when evaluating players is look closely at players participating in the post-season all-star games like the Senior Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Texas vs. the Nation game. Players who perform well at these games and practices are typically performing against some of the best talent in the college game. This sample combined with game film creates a strong snapshot of the kind of player a potential draft pick could be for the Falcons.

It’s hard to argue with the ideas freebird310 puts forward. The characteristics of a Dimitroff draft are there in black and white. So while no one knows who exactly the Falcons will draft later this month, the type of player they may draft could be very clear based on history.

When asked during the offseason to explain the performance of the 2011 Atlanta Falcons, head coach Mike Smith has routinely described the team as inconsistent.

It’s an appropriate description of what happened on both offense and defense at times last season. The Falcons could rarely find their rhythm as the regular season progressed. There were flashes of promise and excellence, but it rarely did more than glimmer.

At one point the Falcons’ defense was the third-best in the NFL in defending the run. They ended the season at No. 6, still respectable, but not at the level they were at when they were playing their best.

Many were confused by Atlanta’s uneven performance during last season, largely because virtually the entire core of the team returned from 2010 with one significant addition in defensive end Ray Edwards. One stat that shows the Falcons took a step back, especially on defense, is points allowed.

Last season the Falcons were a middle-of-the-pack team, allowing 22 points per game. Over their final three games they averaged 31 points allowed. They averaged 21 points allowed at home and 22.9 on the road. This was done with virtually the entire defense returning from the 2010 season that saw them finish with an average of 19.8 points allowed per game, sixth-best in the league.

The points allowed number from 2010 is impressive, but despite that, they still ended the season a little loose. Their last three games’ average was 25 points. On the other hand, they were especially dominant on the road, allowing 18.6 points per game.

Heading into 2011, the Falcons defense was expected to continue to improve based on the continued addition of talent and the maturation of young players like Sean Weatherspoon, William Moore and Kroy Biermann. The trend was there to establish such an expectation.

In 2009 the Falcons average 20.9 points allowed per game, 17.2 at home and 23.4 on the road. Setting up their 2010 success perfectly was their dominant performance to end that season. In the final three games of the ’09 season the Falcons averaged 6.7 points allowed per game.

In 2008, the first season under Smith, Atlanta allowed 20.9 points per game, 20.5 at home and 21.2 away.

The trend of improvement that began in ’08 stopped in 2011, when the Falcons’ defense allowed the most points on average since Smith took over as head coach.

With most of the starters expected back for the Falcons in 2012 and a new defensive coordinator to teach a fresh scheme, there’s still reason for optimism with Atlanta’s defense.

New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has a history of improving a team’s defense in numerous ways. Points allowed on defense is one of them.

In 2010 when Nolan assumed the DC position in Miami, he steered the Dolphins from 24.4 points allowed per game in 2009 to 20.8 in his first year. In 2011, he lowered that number to 19.6.

As Denver’s coordinator in 2009, he improved the Broncos an astonishing eight points, from 28 to 20.2.

If Nolan can register a four-point decrease for the Falcons in 2012 like he accomplished in Miami in ’10, Atlanta’s average would be 18 points per game, a number that would’ve been fifth-best in the NFL last season.

Numbers like that and possible improvements such as those, could be a reason explaining why the Falcons’ front office elected to re-sign so many contributing players on defense this offseason. The talent appears to be there and they’ve performed at a high level before. With the addition of a new defensive mind, one that has had tons of success in the NFL, the handwriting may be on the wall for 2012.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper, in his April 4 mock draft, selects Illinois offensive tackle Jeff Allen for the Falcons. It’s the first time the name of Allen has been associated with Atlanta. None of the previous drafts in the Mock Monitor have pinpointed Allen for the Falcons.

Allen, 6-foot-4 and 307 pounds, was a four-year starter for Illinois and bounced back and forth between right and left tackle during his college career. Scouts like Allen’s durability, but question his overall strength in generating push in the running game. Kiper thinks Allen can help Atlanta at multiple positions.

“The Falcons have a need here, and Allen could help early on the right side with upside at left,” Kiper wrote.

Many scouts believe Allen may be best suited to move inside and play guard. At the Senior Bowl in January, Allen got in a lot of reps as a guard and did an adequate job, though his technique was lacking at times.

“With Allen, it doesn’t always look pretty, but he seems to get the job done,” Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com said.

NFLDraftScout.com ranks Allen as the 11th-best tackle in the draft.

Other players available in Kiper’s draft for the Falcons included running backs LaMichael James and David Wilson, defensive lineman Jared Crick and offensive guard Brandon Brooks.