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.

Instructors for the one-day academy will include NFL officials, scouts and supervisors. Part of the academy will include information on the officiating process, instant replay video presentations and on-field instruction and mechanics shadowing drills.

Interested individuals must RSVP to nflofficiating.com by Friday, May 25 and fill out this form or contact Kendyl Moss at kmoss@falcons.nfl.com or at 404.367.2064 for questions.

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.”

Falcons Owner & Chairman Arthur Blank, General Manager Thomas Dimitroff and Head Coach Mike Smith will discuss the offseason and how the team is shaping up heading into the 2012 season. The voice of the Falcons, Wes Durham, will also conduct live interviews with Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter, Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan and Special Teams Coordinator Keith Armstrong.

Watch State of the Franchise live at live.atlantafalcons.com, follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #atlsof and keep updated at our official Facebook page.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH STATE OF THE FRANCHISE

Dimitroff will begin on Peachtree Road NW with the majority of his route following Buford Highway and ending at the Falcons Training Facility at 4400 Falcon Parkway in Flowery Branch. He will be joined by members of the Falcons front office as well as Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (ABC) Board Chair Atiba Mbiwan, owner of Free-Flite Bicycles Dan Thornton, ABC members and volunteers Tim Ho and Jeffrey Wisard, and ABC League Cycling Instructor Neil Walker.

“Cycling has always been something that I have enjoyed,” said Dimitroff. “On Friday, I get to combine my enjoyment for cycling with my passion for the Atlanta Falcons. I am pleased to work with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition again as we support Bike to Work Day. May is National Bike Month and I hope that everyone gets a chance at least one day this month to get out and spend some time on their bike.”

National Bike to Work Day was originated by the League of American Bicyclists in 1956 and is a part of National Bike Month, which is held every May. The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition supports the event in Atlanta and encourages people to commute to work using a bicycle.

The ABC has been the city’s voice for better biking for 20 years. Its mission is to make it safer and easier for people to ride bicycles. This will help create a healthier, more sustainable Atlanta, and allow people to enjoy a higher quality of life while improving public health, cleaning the air, reducing congestion, and building the community.

Dimitroff has participated in a number of cycling events during his time with the Falcons, including the ABC’s 2011 BeltLine Bike Tour and the Pedal with a Purpose to benefit Georgia Cancer Foundation 100-mile ride in 2010. Through cycling, Dimitroff has made an effort to promote physical fitness, health and wellness. He has also committed to helping the ABC support a bicycle friendly Atlanta.

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.”

Holmes, 6-6, 333 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the third round (91st overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played two seasons at Southern Mississippi after transferring from Itawamba Community College following the 2009 campaign. Holmes was named a team captain by his teammates after transferring from junior college because of his work ethic. As a senior, he earned first team All-Conference USA honors after paving the way for the Golden Eagles to post more than 6,000 yards of total offense for the first time in school history. Holmes protected QB Austin Davis’ blind side, helping the quarterback throw for 3,496 yards with 30 touchdowns, and blocked for a rushing attack that averaged 205.1 yards per game.

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 First Down for Fitness Program, in its sixth year, is a three month program designed to challenge third through seventh grade students in the state of Georgia to participate in fitness activities, eat healthy and lead a healthy lifestyle. The program incorporates components of the NFL’s Play 60 program, the American Heart Association and the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association’s (SUDIA) Fuel Up to Play 60 nutrition program.

The winners are:

The winners were selected from 191 teachers in the Falcons First Down for Fitness program for their commitment and dedication to finding unique ways to ensure their students engage in physical activity for 60 minutes, five days a week and maintain healthy eating habits. Each winner will receive a $1,000 fitness equipment grant and work with Good Sports to select their items.

“Ensuring that kids get physical activity every day is crucial to their healthy physical and emotional development,” Good Sports CEO Melissa Harper said. “Good Sports is proud to partner with the Atlanta Falcons to equip these amazing teachers with the gear they need to make that possible.”

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.

Meisner, 6-0, 245 pounds, was brought into the Falcons rookie minicamp as a tryout player. He played linebacker at CSU-Pueblo where he earned All-America, Academic All-America, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Regional Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Stafford, 6-4, 204 pounds, was a tryout player at the Falcons rookie minicamp. He caught 21 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown in 2011 at Toledo.

White, 6-4, 239 pounds, was brought in as a tryout player for the Falcons’ rookie minicamp. He caught nine passes for 101 yards and four touchdowns during his final season at the University of Georgia in 2011.

Kibble was signed by the Falcons as a college free agent on April 30, 2012. He notched 38 tackles (14 solo) with 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble during his senior season at Kansas State.

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.”

Konz, 6-5, 317 pounds, was selected in the second round (55th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. He started 31 games at center during his career at the University of Wisconsin. In 2011, he was named a Rimington Trophy finalist, a first-team All-American by AFCA and Pro Football Weekly as well as a second-team All-American according to Yahoo! Sports and SI.com, and third-team All-American by Phil Steele in 2011. He also added first-team All-Big Ten Conference accolades from the media and was an honorable mention pick by the league’s coaches. In addition to his success on the football field, Konz leaves Wisconsin as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection.

Ewing, 5-11, 243 pounds, Atlanta’s fifth round selection (157th overall), began his career at Wisconsin as a walk-on running back and ended it as a team captain and first team All-American. He started 10 of 52 games at Wisconsin, rushing for two touchdowns and adding two more receiving scores. According to NFL Draft Report, his 30 touchdown-resulting blocks in 2011 were the most ever by a blocker in a season and were more than 99 teams at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.

Mitchell, 5-11, 205 pounds, was the Falcons sixth round draft choice (192nd overall). He was one of the Bulldogs most consistent defenders as he played in 50 games and recorded 283 total tackles with four interceptions during his career. A team captain, Mitchell ranked second on the team with 95 tackles (50 solo) while notching three tackles for loss, one sack, six passes defensed and one forced fumble as a senior.

The Falcons selected Robertson (249th overall), 6-4, 304 pounds, in the seventh round with their compensatory selection. He was a team leader and experienced player for the Gamecocks, and earned preseason second-team All-SEC honors from Phil Steele as a key interior cog in South Carolina’s defense. The three-year letter winner played in 12 games as a senior in 2011, recording 45 tackles (22 solo), two sacks and eight tackles for loss.

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.”

On his observations on the first day of rookie mini-camp:
“I think our guys are excited about playing football. Their energy was outstanding and 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 for when they start working out with them on Tuesday.”

On his impressions of G Peter Konz:
“I thought Peter did a nice job. Of course, Peter is being cross trained at two positions. He spent most of his day at the guard position, but he did also take some snaps. I think it’s obvious, he’s a big strong guy.”

On T Lamar Holmes and why he did not participate in practice:
“Lamar’s got a minor issue with his foot and it’s more precautionary right now. We will try to get him back out here; it won’t be here in this mini-camp. I think it’ll be closer to when we start our OTAs at the end of the month. It is something that became evident in his post-draft physical.”

On how the coaches are approaching getting the rookies ready:
“It’s great to be back out. We get an opportunity to coach and that’s what we enjoy doing the most. For us, as the Atlanta Falcons staff, this is our first rookie mini-camp. We’ve always had our mandatory mini-camp two weeks after the draft where we’ve had all of our players in, so the sequencing is a little bit different this year. Actually, this is the first time that I have ever had and been involved with a rookie mini-camp, so it’s new to me. We’ve got substantial numbers, but not really a whole lot. We are light at a few positions. We’ve got to slow things down and not run as many plays as we normally would do in a practice.”

On how holding a rookie mini-camp helps the players adjust to the NFL:
“My observation from the first day, and again this is the first time I’ve ever done it, is that it allows them to kind of ease into it, whereas in the past we’ve had our mandatory mini-camp and all of our veterans are here and I am sure it’s a little daunting. This is a little easier way 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 because the guys that have been with us have been doing it for so many years. My first impression of it is that I like it.”

On when the drafted players arrived and how much time he has been able to spend with Konz in particular:
“They arrived yesterday. We’ve had some phone conversations. I know that the offensive line coaches have had in depth conversations with him. Peter is a guy that is very passionate about the game of football. He likes to be physical and he plays a very physical style of football. I am looking forward to watching him mature and learn our system as we go through this 60-day period that we have with the rookies.”

On how the team benefits from rookie mini-camp:
“We get an opportunity to expose our guys to our system and we get to do it at a slower pace. That is probably the biggest thing that we get out of it. Then there will we some guys, we’ve got some guys here that are here on a tryout basis, we get an opportunity to evaluate them. That gives us a chance to see more guys. We have a 90-man roster limit that we have to work with, but we’ve got an opportunity, at least this weekend, to get exposed to some other guys.”

On where G Mike Johnson fits in with Konz being cross trained:
“I think Mike is right in the middle of it. Unfortunately, Mike had to be placed on injured reserve last year and did not have an opportunity to come out and compete. He missed time in training camp last year, so I think it’s going to be 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 and 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. The two weeks that we’ve been working with our guys prior to this they have worked extremely well, most of it being with the strength coaches though.”

On FB Bradie Ewing:
“Bradie is a guy that’s very athletic, can adjust and he is a guy that has pretty good hands. He doesn’t have the statistics in college, as far a 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.”

On releasing FB Ovie Mughelli:
“When you have to make decisions on your roster they are always tough. Especially with a guy that has contributed and helped us have the success that we’ve had. It was an organizational decision and we wish Ovie the best. We’ve got to move on. Our roster is always changing. It’s never going to be the same and we’ve got to move forward for the 2012 season.”

On new offensive line coach Pat Hill:
“Pat’s getting acclimated. He was involved in the draft process, in the evaluations, that is something that he hasn’t done in the last 15 years as the head coach at Fresno State, so we wanted to get him exposed to that again. He is learning our system and again, going from a head coach to a position coach you have to worry more about some more minute details and have a little different focus, but Pat has done a great job. The guys love working with him. He is very collaborative and interactive and I think the guys are going to enjoy working with him.”

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

Mughelli was originally signed as an unrestricted free agent on March 2, 2007. He appeared in 69 games in his five seasons with the Falcons, including 38 starts. In 2011, Mughelli saw action in seven games and hauled in four receptions for 25 yards with two touchdowns.

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.

The final 40 ladies were reduced down from 65 finalists, who were decided from more than 270 that auditions during preliminaries Sunday.

All the veterans who auditioned made the 2012 squad, which left 18 rookies to be added to the team.

Click here to see a photo gallery from Thursday’s final auditions

“I think we have a beautiful, talented, amazing team. There was a lot of talent in all the girls I saw,” three-year veteran Alicia D. said shortly after being named back to the team. “I was impressed. … I know that we have a stellar team.”

The 2012 team will get together in a few weeks for their annual team-building retreat, and AtlantaFalcons.com will be there to introduce you to the new members.

For now, here are the 2012 Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders (click the image below to see a larger version):

Names from left to right:
Front Row: Zorah B., Kelly P., Natalie B., Denita C., Natalie D., Sabrina C., Shauna K., Brittiney W., Emily Bl.
Row 2: Kelsi S., Alice F., Kristy B., Lindsay M., Melissa Z., Erin P., Kadija J., Natalie S., Amber B.
Row 3: Emily Br., Irina K., Dana L., Loren C., Ashley G., Cecilia B., Kristen J., Tiffany M., Haley D., Rie O., Ashley Y.
Back Row: Alicia D., Avis H., Cameron A., Kat M., Katie V., Jonna B., Kiley B., Kelsey G., Ariel A., Heather K., Sydney H.

This year, the Falcons organization is encouraging all fans to sign up, show up and together watch our city Rise Up.

“The idea is a simple one,” Falcons President & CEO Rich McKay said. “In addition to wanting our fans to help us become the best team in the NFL on the field, we also want our fans to Rise Up and volunteer their time and talents throughout the year in an effort to make our great community a better place to live.”

The initiative kicked off Thursday as the Falcons kicked off the volunteer program by participating in the fourth annual All-Associates Day, when more than 180 associates from the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers, PGA TOUR Superstores, AMB Group and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation – collectively known as the Blank Family of Businesses – joined together to make a difference in the community.

Click here to see the press conference announcing the new initiative with Arthur Blank, Rich McKay and Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed

The group met at City of Refuge – a non-profit organization dedicated to helping families become stable, secure and productive. Located less than two miles west of the Georgia Dome, the City of Refuge serves neighborhoods where the majority of the residents struggle to overcome their circumstances.

“City of Refuge exists to help those in crisis ‘Rise Up,’ find hope, and be offered a lifeline and an opportunity,” Bruce Deel, City of Refuge executive director said. “We are honored to host the kick-off event of the ‘Rise Up Atlanta’ community volunteer initiative with the day of service sponsored by the Blank Family of Businesses and its associates, including the Atlanta Falcons. The impact on our organization, our community and, ultimately, our city will be deep reaching and long lasting.”

The Falcons and other Blank Family of Businesses associates spent the morning at City of Refuge working on four key projects: constructing an indoor playground, planting an urban garden, remodeling resident dormitories and painting an indoor mural.

The Blank Family of Businesses provided the City of Refuge with a $60,000 grant to build the indoor playground that will serve resident and neighborhood families. The playground will provide a safe haven for the 82 children who live on site in the Eden Village housing area, as well as the 60 neighborhood children who participate in the City of Refuge after-school program.

The Falcons have partnered with Hands On Atlanta, one of the largest community-based volunteer service organizations in the United States in an effort to encourage volunteerism across the city.

Beginning Thursday, Falcons fans and community-minded volunteers can log onto riseupatlanta.com to sign up for a variety of volunteer opportunities coordinated by Hands On Atlanta. Fans who sign up and attend a volunteer activity will receive a Falcons Rise Up team T-shirt.

Click here to see a photo gallery from All Associates Day

Calvin, 6-3, 215 pounds, played in 37 games with 10 starts and totaled 42 receptions for 528 yards with one touchdown during his career at California. He also recorded three tackles, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. In 2011, he had his most productive season with career highs of 20 receptions, 269 receiving yards and one touchdown. Calvin posted a blistering 4.32 in the 40-yard dash at Cal’s 2012 Pro Day.

Albritton was signed as a reserve/future free agent on January 3, 2012. Jolly served as a member of the Falcons practice squad in 2011 and was signed as a reserve/future free agent on January 9, 2012.

Follow rookie wide receiver Michael Calvin on Twitter @Mike_Calvin11

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.

Winterswyk, 6-4, 258 pounds, was originally signed by the Falcons as a college free agent on July 26, 2011. He served as a member of the team’s practice squad for the final five weeks of the 2011 season.

Brown, 6-3, 220 pounds, caught 31 passes for 405 yards with five touchdowns during his senior season at Minnesota-Mankato. He also added 31 carries for 98 yards with four touchdowns. Prior to arriving at Minnesota-Mankato, he was a three-year player at Kansas State.

Council, 6-1, 255 pounds, was tabbed Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Tennessee State. In 2011, he posted a team-high 87 tackles (49 solo) with 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception, 11 passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. The Chattanooga, TN native was named to the All-OVC second team as a junior, received TSU Heart of a Tiger Courage Award and earned first team All-HBCU honors as a sophomore.

Davis, 6-3, 210 pounds, completed 67.6 percent of his passes (334-of-494) for 3,225 yards with 25 touchdowns as a senior at East Carolina. In 2011, he was a fourth team preseason all-conference selection by Phil Steele and named to the watch lists for the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards. Davis turned in a record-breaking campaign during first season with the Pirates, completing 393 of 609 pass attempts for 3,967 yards with 37 touchdowns in 2010. He began his college career at Boston College where he redshirted during Falcons QB Matt Ryan’s senior season with the Eagles.

Faulcon, 6-0, 190 pounds, earned NJAC and D3Football.com East Region Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as Division III All-America honors as a senior at Montclair State. A two-year starter for the Red Hawks, Faulcon appeared in 40 career contests totaling 169 tackles (106 solo) with 13 tackles for loss. He picked off seven passes in his career and tallied 17 passes defensed as well as four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and a blocked kick.

Frey, 6-0, 203 pounds, played in 12 games in his senior year and posted a team-high 1,185 rushing yards on 189 carries in 2011. His 11 touchdowns were the most by a Kutztown back since 2002. He played three seasons at the University of Connecticut prior to transferring to Kutztown for his senior season.

Gruder, 6-2, 230 pounds, notched a team-high 116 tackles (58 solo) with 8.5 tackles for loss, three passes defensed and one half sack in his senior season at Pittsburgh. A versatile linebacker, he played a starting role at both weak side and middle linebacker in 2010 and was the team’s starting weak side backer in 2009. Gruder also earned Big East All-Academic honors twice during his career.

Bryce Harris, 6-6, 300 pounds, was selected to the All-WAC first team by the league coaches and named to Phil Steele’s All-WAC first team after starting in all 13 games at left tackle at Fresno State. He played for Falcons offensive line coach Pat Hill, who served as the Bulldogs head coach prior to arriving in Atlanta. Harris helped guide RB Robbie Rouse to a WAC-best 1,549 rushing yards, which was the third highest rushing total in single season in school history. He also blocked for QB Derek Carr, who became just the fifth Bulldog to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season.

Jerrell Harris, 6-3, 242 pounds, started at strong side linebacker for the National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide and recorded 22 tackles (12 solo) with 2.5 tackles for loss. In 2010, he started at both strong and weak side linebacker and finished with 24 tackles. Harris also played in six games for the Crimson Tide on special teams and as a backup linebacker during their BCS National Championship season in 2009.

Josh Harris, 6-1, 224 pounds, served as Auburn’s long snapper on field goals, punts and PATs for the last three seasons, including 2010 when the Tigers won the BCS National Championship. The Carrollton, GA native was a SEC Academic Honor Roll selection in 2008 and 2009.

Horn, 6-4, 305 pounds, started his final 25 games at center for Miami and was named a second team All-ACC selection, and team captain. He blocked for RB Lamar Miller, who rushed for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Horn anchored an offensive line that allowed the Hurricanes to average 145.7 rushing yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry in 2011.

Jackson, 6-1, 195 pounds, finished with 65 catches for 1,159 yards during his two seasons at Lamar. He posted 24 receptions for 432 yards and six touchdowns while leading the team with 18.0 yards per catch as a senior. Jackson’s eight touchdown catches in 2010 were the second most in a single season in school history. He also hauled in 17 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns at Navarro College, helping the Bulldogs to an 11-1 record and a No. 3 ranking in the 2009 National Junior College Athletic Association.

Kibble, 6-4, 305 pounds, notched 38 tackles (14 solo) with 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble during his senior season at Kansas State. In 2010, he appeared in all 13 games with nine starts and made 30 tackles (11 solo) with one half sack. He earned second team All-Southwest Junior College Football Conference honors as a defensive lineman in 2009 at Navarro College.

Manley, 6-5, 309 pounds, was a two-year starter at guard for Toledo. In 2011, he helped pave the way for the Rockets offense to rush for 2,777 yards, including RB Adonis Thomas, who logged a team-high 1,071 yards.

Markett, 5-10, 162 pounds, played both cornerback and special teams after walking on to the Gamecocks as a sophomore in 2009. He made 26 stops (21 solo) in 2011 after recording 12 tackles and one pass defensed in 2010. Markett earned All-America honors as part of South Carolina’s 4×100 meter relay team in 2008.

Nissley, 6-6, 267 pounds, played in 51 games with 38 receptions for 465 yards with two touchdowns at Central Florida. He was a two time All-Conference USA honorable mention selection and his 21 receptions in 2011 were the fourth most in a single season in school history. A Cumming, GA native, Nissley played at South Forsyth High School where he was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-Northside First Team and AJC Northside Super 11.

Nzegwu, 6-4, 255 pounds, was a four-year letter winner for the Badgers appearing in 48 games with 27 starts and logging 100 tackles (53 solo) with 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He started all 14 games and led the Badgers with 4.5 sacks helping Wisconsin reach the Rose Bowl in 2011. Nzegwu also recorded at least three sacks in each of his final three seasons.

Pearcy, 5-11, 160 pounds, is Huntingdon’s all-time leader with 147 receptions, 2,632 receiving yards, 25 touchdown catches and a 17.9 yard per reception average. He caught a team-high 46 passes for 766 yards with eight touchdowns during his senior season. In 2010, Pearcy was a first team D-III Senior Classic Preseason All-American and rewrote the Hawks record books logging 51 catches for 1,078 yards with 12 touchdowns.

Regis, 6-3, 305 pounds, played in 46 career games with 112 tackles (52 solo), 5.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and three interceptions at Miami. He was a reliable and consistent defender for the Hurricanes as he finished the 2011 season with 41 tackles (19 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. In 2010 he notched 42 tackles (19 solo), eight tackles for loss and three sacks.

Rodgers, 5-7, 188 pounds, finished his career as one of the greatest receivers and all-purpose players in Oregon State history. He established a school record with 222 career receptions, including an OSU record 91 catches in 2009. He also set the Oregon State career record with 6,377 all-purpose yards and is the first player in OSU history with 1,000 yards rushing and 2,000 yards receiving. He joins his brother RB Jacquizz Rodgers, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

Schiller, 6-2, 235 pounds, earned second team All Mid-American Conference honors from Phil Steele and was named NIU’s Linebacker of the Year by the coaching staff after leading the team with 115 tackles (42 solo), two sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 2011. In four seasons, Schiller collared 239 tackles (91 solo), three sacks, 19 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, seven passes defensed and one interception.

Thompson, 5-11, 180 pounds, logged 186 tackles (125 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, one sack, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 22 passes defensed in four seasons at San Jose State. He played in 47 games, including 33 starts, seeing time at cornerback and on special teams. Thompson was credited with downing four punts inside opponent’s five-yard line during his final three seasons.

Zimmerman, 6-2, 205 pounds, was named an Academic All-ACC selection and team specialist of the year in 2010, posting a 42.7-yard average on 60 punts along with 19 punts inside the 20, nine punts of 50+ yards, and a 40.6-yard net average.

Click here to see a photo gallery of some of the new UDFAs

Falcons Undrafted Rookies on Twitter
@D_DavisECU – Rookie quarterback Dominique Davis
@J_Rodgers1 – Rookie wide receiver James Rodgers
@LBrown_7 – Rookie wide receiver LaMark Brown
@ANISSLEY88 – Rookie tight end Adam Nissley
@Tyler63Horn – Rookie center Tyler Horn
@cody_pearcy – Rookie wide receiver Cody Pearcy
@PatSchiller53 – Rookie linebacker Pat Schiller
@guccigruder55 – Rookie linebacker Max Gruder
@Bama_Boy256 – Rookie linebacker Jerrell Harris
@MicanorLRegis – Rookie defensive tackle Micanor Regis
@thedawsonzim – Rookie punter Dawson Zimmerman
@aujharris – Rookie long snapper Josh Harris
@Louis_Nzegwu – Rookie DE Louis Nzgewu

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.

Robertson, 6-4, 302, made all 13 starts at defensive tackle with the Gamecocks in 2011 and logged 49 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He started all games in 2010, but suffered an ACL injury in 2009 that ended his season after just four games.

Robertson was a team captain with South Carolina.

Links

• Twitter: Follow Travian Robertson @TJ_ROBERTSON42
• Bio: Travian Robertson’s Falcons bio
• Video: Travian Robertson 2011 highlights
• Video: Robertson at the Combine
• Video: Travian Robertson highlight reel set to music
• Video: Gamecock Spotlight: Travian Robertson
• Video: Travian Robertson: “It’s Great To Be A Gamecock”
• Video: Travian Robertson at Sea World with teammates

Mitchell, 5-11, 202 pounds, played in all 12 games as a true freshman and started all as a sophomore. He appeared in all 50 games of his college career and started 38 of them.

He tallied 93 tackles at strong safety in 2010 and 95 at the same position in 2011. Mitchell was also a team captain.

Links

• Bio: Charles Mitchell’s Falcons bio
• Twitter: Follow Charles Mitchell @cmitch412
• Photos: Click here to see a photo gallery of Charles Mitchell
• Video: Two picks against Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead in 2009 Egg Bowl
• Video: Mitchell picks off Houston’s Case Keenum for 71-yard pick six
• Video: Punishing tackle on UF’s Jeffrey Demps in 2010
• Video: Charles Mitchell PFW Draft Preview – projected as 4th or 5th rd pick
• Video: Charles Mitchell post-practice interview in August, 2011

On what he brings to the table at the fullback position:
“I think I’m a very versatile player. I think, obviously, I can do all the things the traditional fullback can do, as far as blocking from the backfield and all that stuff. But I think I have phenomenal hands. I can catch out of the backfield, I can be split out and I can play special teams. Even in a crunch, I think I could play some running back. I did that in college and in high school, so I think my versatility.”

On joining C/G Peter Konz, a former Wisconsin teammate, with the Falcons:
“Pete Konz is a great guy. Obviously, very excited to continue our careers together and be a part of the Falcons’ organization.”

On how the Falcons plan to use him in the offensive attack:
“I just got a chance to talk to the coaches a little bit. Obviously, they called me for the draft pick. We were just very excited; just kind of shared our thoughts and our excitement and looking forward to the future. But we didn’t really talk much about game plan, but I’m excited to get into the playbook and go from there.”

On his lead blocking ability:
“I think it goes back to our team’s success and having the ability to have that success this past year. To be voted a team captain and be developed by our coaches, it’s just incredible to be in this situation and to be heading to Atlanta.”

On his hometown:
“I’m from Richland Center, Wisconsin, a small town about an hour west of Madison, Wisconsin, where the University is located.”

On whether he walked on at Wisconsin:
“I did. I walked on to the University of Wisconsin as a running back and then was converted to a fullback and earned a scholarship after my second year. So, it’s been a great journey.”

On when he received his scholarship:
“I got it going into my third year, so I walked on for two years and I was on scholarship for two years as a fullback.”

On what he feels he can bring to the Falcons:
“Like I said earlier, I’m just a versatile guy. I think I can do all the things as a fullback. Obviously, drafting me as a fullback, I can block. I can catch. I can split out as a receiver. I think it’s my versatility and I’m just excited to get down there.”

On what helped him build his leadership skills:
“I think it’s just staying consistent to who I am and the way I’ve been raised and everything I believe in. I think I’ve done that since I was at Wisconsin. Hopefully, guys recognized that and I’ve been able to just be a good leader both vocally and non-vocally. I think, also, my play kind of speaks for itself and I think the coaches kind of bred that into us at Wisconsin. I think it just developed throughout my career.”

On Wisconsin’s short-yardage package:
“It was good. We’re a power offense and we had 23-personnel. We run some power plays. I’m excited. I love doing that short-yardage. Everyone’s in the box and that’s a fun time.”

On the toughest linebacker he faced in the Big 10:
“Not one sticks out to me but I know that Ohio State linebackers, Michigan State linebackers are overall great defenses and great linebacking cores. I’d say those two teams.”

On Wisconsin’s trip to the Rose Bowl last season:
“The Rose Bowl is awesome. It’s a great experience. Obviously, we got there two years in a row and didn’t really capitalize on the opportunity with a win. But, overall, it was a great experience to experience with the coaches and the team. Some great memories that I’ll never forget.”

Massaquoi, 6-2, 264, is a native of Liberia, Africa and is the cousin of former Georgia Mohammed Massaquoi and Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Massaquoi led the Trojans in tackles for loss in 2011 and recorded six sacks.

Massaquoi has shown flashes of his immense ability. In his first season playing organized football, as a junior at Central Gwinnett (Ga.) High School, he was rated one of the state’s top 60 juniors by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after he recorded 61 tackles and three sacks. In 2006, he registered 87 tackles while getting to the quarterback nine times.

Links

• Bio: Jonathan Massaquoi’s Falcons bio
• Photos: Jonathan Massaquoi photo gallery
• Video: Review of his 2010 season
• Video: Play-by-play analysis of his game against Ohio in 2010
• Video: Massaquoi post-practice interview before his sophomore season
• Video: 2010 New Orleans Bowl Media Day

Ewing, 5-11, 239 pounds, was a team captain for the Badgers in 2011 when he played in all 14 games. The scouting reports glow about Ewing’s quickness and power out of the backfield.

A blue-collar fullback, Ewing becomes the second Wisconsin player taken by general manager Thomas Dimitroff this year. The Falcons selected Badgers guard/center Peter Konz with the No. 55 overall selection Friday.

Ewing was the only true fullback invited to the Combine.

Following Ewing on Twitter @bewing34

Click here to see a photo gallery of Bradie Ewing

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.

On being drafted by the Falcons in the third round of the NFL Draft:
“It was like the world’s best feeling. It’s something you have dreamed since the day you could pick up a football or say the word football. It’s something that you’ve dreamed about your entire life. To have the coach call you and tell you you’re part of the Atlanta Falcons now, it’s something that you can’t even put in words. It feels great. I’m ready to go.”

On his career at Southern Miss after transferring from Itawamba Community College:
“I went to junior college when I was a freshman with my head down, just basically saying, ‘I’ve got to go in there and take somebody’s spot. I’ve got to earn a job. I’ve got to be on the field. I’m not here to make friends.’ I think that type of mentality, it carried me to where I am now. I went to Southern Miss with just the same mentality and I’ve just got to keep doing it.”

On his major at Southern Miss:
“My major at Southern Miss was sports coaching with a minor in business management.”

On being a captain at Southern Miss and his leadership skills:
“It was great for me being a captain by my teammates voting for me to be a team captain. Coming from junior college, they didn’t really have to do that. They didn’t really know me, but they voted me as team captain, I guess because they saw that I worked hard every day. Everything I did, if I had to get extra work in, I’d go in there and get it on my own. I guess that’s what inspired them, voting me as a team captain, which I’m glad they did.”

On the highlight of his career at Southern Miss:
“The highlight of my career was when we beat Houston for the Conference USA championship. But other than that, it would have to be against UCF. We ran a two-point conversion play and I got to run the two-point conversion in. I was a tackle and I just dropped behind the cornerback and when he threw it to me, I was wide open. I just basically walked in.”

On whether he feels as if he can compete for a starting job right away:
“I do. I feel like I can come in there and be a contributor from day one, because I’m going to work and whoever’s across from me, I’m going to make them work hard every day, all day.”

On whether he played the left tackle position in college:
“Yes. At junior college, I played right tackle and some left tackle. At Southern Miss, it was strictly left tackle.”

Holmes, 6-6, 333 pounds, had a solid Combine, running a 5.3 40-yard dash and recording 22 reps on the bench.

Holmes played two seasons at Southern Miss after transferring from Itawamba Community College following the 2009 campaign. He was named a team captain by his teammates after transferring from junior college because of his work ethic. As a senior, earned first team All-Conference USA honors after paving the way for the Golden Eagles to post more than 6,000 yards of total offense for the first time in school history. Holmes protected QB Austin Davis’ blind side, helping the quarterback throw for 3,496 yards with 30 touchdowns, and blocked for a rushing attack that averaged 205.1 yards per game.

In his first season at Southern Miss, Holmes played in 12 games with five starts and helped Davis earn second team All-Conference USA honors after throwing for 3,103 yards. He also played two seasons at Itawamba Community College, where he earned NJCAA Preseason All-America honors prior to the 2009 season and was a first-team MACJC North pick during his freshman campaign. Rivals.com ranked Holmes as a four-star performer and the number 18 junior college player in the nation. Prior to arriving at Itawamba, he was a standout performer at Huss High School in North Carolina.

Links

• Lamar Holmes on Twitter: @teamholmes7256
• Holmes discusses his transition from community college to Southern Miss
• Holmes on the issue of paying college football players to play
• Holmes gives a final presentation for a sports culture class at Southern Miss
• Holmes takes a swing pass and scores a TD against Central Florida
• PHOTOS: Lamar Holmes photos

On being drafted by the Falcons in the second round of the NFL Draft:
“Being now an NFL football player, just getting the opportunity is amazing. 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.”

On whether he had seen the mock drafts predicting the Green Bay Packers selecting him:
“Well, little do people know this, but I was never a Packers fan growing up. I was around people that told me not to, so when the Falcons were in the Super Bowl, I was doing the ‘Dirty Bird’ with the rest of them.”

On if there has a been a conversation with the Falcons regarding whether he will play center or guard:
“No conversations yet, but I’ll do anything. At Wisconsin, they made sure I knew tackle, guard and center. Anywhere I can help the team, that’s my responsibility.”

On whether he played anywhere other than center at Wisconsin:
“Never played, just practiced.”

On whether he feels as if he can improve on his 18-rep bench press performance at the combine:
“Actually, I did more during my pro day. I got 23 during my pro day. I worked hard at it. I was training with our strength coaches at Wisconsin, (Wisconsin assistant strength coach) Brian Bott. It was something that I just put my mind to and I know I can always do better. 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.”

On the blocking scheme at Wisconsin:
“Wisconsin’s all about running the football. I was with coach Bob Bostad for four years. He’s down in Tampa Bay now, but we ran inside zone, we ran a lot of perimeter tosses and we ran a lot of gap scheme so a lot of just running up the gut and play action.”

On how much indication he had before the draft of the Falcons interest in him:
“Actually, my agent just told me that’s a team that has a need, but they’re one of those teams that won’t talk to you through the whole process and they’ll pick you. That’s kind of what happened. It was a surprise, but it was a great surprise.”

On playing alongside veteran C Todd McClure:
“Well, I’m always ready to compete for a position. I mean, any veteran deserves respect and I don’t intend to just walk in and just think that I own the place. I intend to come in and work hard and get to know everybody and try to fit in well with the team because that’s how we’re going to win.”

On who he models his play after:
“Nick Mangold. He went to Ohio State and now the center for the Jets. He’s a great player, real tough, physical guy and the kind of guy who always does the right things on and off the field. That’s just one of the guys who I model. Joe Thomas. Great Wisconsin o-lineman. I think all the o-linemen at Wisconsin should be like Joe in one aspect or another. But just solid people and great football players.”

On being a three-sport athlete in high school, also participating in basketball and track and field:
“I was always active. I love to do stuff. I’m not one to just sit down and do nothing. I loved playing and traveling around with basketball. I traveled to a ton of tournaments playing AAU and in high school. I was always the guy that set the solid screen and really knock somebody down. I think I only got one technical foul for that though.”

On his injury history at Wisconsin:
“This year, it was a left ankle dislocation but I was only out for three games and I came back for the Rose Bowl. I’m one of those players, even if I’m not fully 100 percent, I’m not going to baby. I’m going to play and I’m going to work through something just to help the team. I mean, I’m 100 percent right now and I’m ready to roll.”

On injuries earlier in his collegiate career:
“I had a right high ankle sprain. I did it against Ohio State, but once again, it was another one of those things where I just fought through. We were playing number-one Ohio State and it happened in the first quarter and I just played through it. I was trying to play through it for the whole season and then it just got rolled up again. But once again, I was able to come back for the Rose Bowl and play in a big game.”

On his field of study in college:
“I studied communication arts – radio, television and film. I am a big media buff. My grade point average when I finished would be about a 3.3.”