11:04 p.m.-The last two picks of the night come through and Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill is still on the board as is UGA's Cordy Glenn. In fact, there are a number of talented players still available, including Clemson defense end Andre Branch. We'll pick up the blog tomorrow night when we begin Round Two at 7 p.m. We'll have more from Falcons Draft Central tomorrow as the action really picks up as we approach Atlanta's second round pick at No. 55.
10:46 p.m.-The media room currently thinks Georgia Tech wide receiver Stephen Hill is the pick for each team for the remainder of the first round. Let's see if that's eventually right.
In other news, Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith is the first Notre Dame defender taken in the first round since 1997.
10:29 p.m.- Many Falcons fans have been very kind to many of the AtlantaFalcons.com crew on Twitter tonight. We were just told by a few great and loyal Falcons fans that we're "tireless". What they don't understand is that we're just like everyone else: we're sitting around the media room with about six other guys discussing each pick as it comes through. I'm personally keeping track of things on Twitter as well so I know the picks before they come in. I've taken advantage of that a few times. We appreciate the fans a great deal, but at the end of the day, we're no different than anyone else.
10:10 p.m.-A number of offensive linemen are sliding in the first round and that's a position group many believe the Falcons could stand to upgrade in. Players like UGA's Cordy Glenn, Stanford's Jonathan Martin and Iowa's Riley Reiff are still available. Only one offensive lineman has been drafted so far in the first round and things could get interesting late in the round as teams begin to consider moving back into the first to take some of these quality linemen.
10:00 p.m.-Shea McClellin from Boise State was just selected by Chicago. He's an outside linebacker/defensive end and he's a player that appeared to be rising in the last few days, but few saw him being picked that high. In the Falcons media room, there's a collection of a number of the media from around the city in it as well as some Falcons staffers, not a single sound was made when McClellin was selected. Most picks elicited some kind of response from the room, but not this one.
9:50 p.m.-San Diego's No. 18 pick is in and Chicago is on the clock. The draft is moving along at a nice pace. We're over halfway done and less than two hours in. I think we're on track to unplug this thing at midnight.
9:33 p.m.-The first big shocker of the night came at No. 15, Seattle's pick. The Seahawks selected defensive end Bruce Irvin. Irvin was projected to go in the second round. He has the talent and potential to be a first round pick, but he's lived a troubled life that has slowed his development. It's a bold move and he's the first defensive end to come off the board.
8:52 p.m.-PSA for Falcons fans: The Falcons Draft Central will crank back up at 9 p.m.
8:38 p.m.-Try to keep up with me here. The fifth trade of the first round saw Dallas jump to No. 6, in front of Falcons NFC South rival Tampa Bay. The Bucs traded back earlier in the night with Jacksonville. There were a lot of rumors that said the Bucs wanted LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. No one knows now, but with all the movement, the Bucs may have felt they could move back and still get the draft's best corner. Dallas came out of nowhere and jumped ahead of Tampa, where St. Louis was by way of Washington. You got that? The Cowboys picked Claiborne and that means the Falcons won't have to test out the talented rookie twice next season.
8:20 p.m.-The first major trade of the night, and the second of the draft, came in the minutes before the draft started. Cleveland traded up from No. 4 to the third spot that Minnesota occupied. Cleveland selected Alabama running back Trent Richardson. It's the first of three trades that have happened in this draft so far. The most trades that have occurred in the first round of the draft was in 2001 when there were 14. With three in the books and rumors flying that Buffalo, among others (it's going to be a long night!), want to move backwards in the draft, it could be close to a record-setting night. Any guesses on how many trades you think we'll see tonight. Let me know on Twitter.
8:06 p.m.-The commissioner just announced the worst-kept secret in the entire draft. Indianapolis selected quarterback Andrew Luck. It took about three minutes for the Colts to turn in their selection and the clock is now on Washington to make theirs. I'm going to go ahead and tell you it's Robert Griffin III, but that's also been old news for quite a while.
7:42 p.m.- I'm watching Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay on Falcons Draft Central. McKay had a lot of insight into what's going on in the moments leading up to the draft and during the draft, fueled by his experience as a general manager in the NFL. He said months, miles and a lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into the scouting of the players and the final decisions during the draft. Ultimately, he said he felt the teams that prepare the best for their draft selections will do the best.
Away from the topic of the draft, he shared another example of how the Falcons franchise listens to their fans. McKay said Falcons fans have expressed disappointment that while at the Georgia Dome they're unable to see the replay that the referee is watching when a play is under review. McKay said coming this season, on the big screen in the dome, fans will be able to see exactly what the official is watching.
"Whatever he sees, you will see," McKay said.
7:30 p.m.- The NFL draft is now a 24-hour, 365-days-a-year engine that captures the minds of football fans. It all leads up to tonight. In 30 minutes we'll begin the 2012 NFL Draft and while the Falcons don't have a pick in the first round, there won't be a lack of drama and storylines to follow from the rest of the league.
In fact, after Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff's stealth move to acquire cornerback Asante Samuel from Philly, many people think the GM has another bold move up his sleeve. That remains to be seen, but the draft never fails to entertain us football fans.
Social media has introduced an entirely new means of following all the action on draft night. The Falcons will be using Twitter tonight to follow what their fans are saying as they watch the draft and throughout the evening (and the entire draft!) we'll have the live Falcons Draft Central to entertain you as well. The Draft Central will feature live answers to your questions as well as exclusive interviews and analysis with the AtlantaFalcons.com team, the media and former players.
When you're not watching the draft, discussing the draft on Twitter, watching the Falcons Draft Central or actually spending time with your loved ones, keep it refreshed here. I'll be blogging all evening.
