FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The onus was on the Atlanta Falcons' decision-makers to improve through the draft, especially after owner Arthur Blank said he'd be disappointed if three starters weren't secured in the first four picks.
Well, the Falcons at least found a handful of players who fit the "fast and physical" style coach Dan Quinn always preaches.
Safety Keanu Neal (Florida), linebackers Deion Jones (LSU) and De'Vondre Campbell (Minnesota), and tight end Austin Hooper (Stanford) all have the potential to compete for starting roles. Neal is a given, considering the void at strong safety. Linebacker is one of the biggest areas where the Falcons need a boost, so that's why both Jones and Campbell should salivate over the opportunity to contribute immediately as inside linebackers.
The Falcons also found a physical offensive lineman in Wes Schweitzer (San Jose State) and a speedy wide receiver/return man in Devin Fuller (UCLA).
That's not to say the Falcons have solved all their woes by any means. They didn't secure a legitimate pass-rusher and still could use cornerback help. But at least this draft looks like it has potential to enhance what Quinn has to work with right now.
Best move: Neal, the 17th overall pick. In drafting Neal, the Falcons got a hard-hitting strong safety who will be ready to start from Day 1. The word around the league is Neal is regarded as a first-round-caliber player despite having a second-round grade. His coverage skills need some work, but he's the ideal in-the-box safety who hits like a linebacker. The Falcons needed to add more toughness, and Neal immediately brings more attitude and nastiness. Neal knows he needs to work on his coverage skills to fulfill the team's expectation of covering tight ends. He's taking the necessary steps to improve his footwork by training with longtime NFL defensive back Jeremy Lincoln at XPE Sports in Florida.
Riskiest move: Jones, who was drafted in the second round with the No. 52 overall pick. There's no doubt Jones brings the type of speed the Falcons sorely need at the position after running a 4.38-second 40 at his Pro Day. Such speed is ideal for coverage, closing on runners and special teams. Jones led LSU with 100 tackles last season. But Pro Football Focus gave the Falcons a D grade for the selection of Jones based on his missed tackles and getting blocked too often against the run. Plus Jones only had one full year of starting experience at LSU, which brings back memories of last year's second-round draft pick, cornerback Jalen Collins from LSU. The Falcons hope Jones' rookie year isn't a repeat of Collins' lack of production.
Most surprising move: You can go back to Neal on this one just because not a lot of folks thought he'd be selected in the first round. Neal said he received a second-round grade after declaring early for the draft, but Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team's evaluators viewed Neal as a first-rounder from the very beginning. Now, it's not like Dimitroff is going to go to the podium and say, "We viewed Neal as a sixth-round pick." However, saying Neal was a first-rounder all along puts the pressure on Neal to live up to those expectations. He can play that Kam Chancellor role in the Falcons' defense, with physicality being his biggest asset.
File it away: Campbell, the fourth-round pick from Minnesota, claims to have all the tools to be an effective pass-rusher. If that's true, then let's see if Falcons coach Dan Quinn can get it out of him. The 6-foot-4, 232-pound Campbell has speed (4.58 40) and length (33 5/8-inch arms). He's been working with former Falcon and pass-rush guru Chuck Smith about perfecting speed rushes. First and foremost, Campbell is viewed as a versatile, three-down Will (weakside) linebacker who can contribute immediately on special teams. Quinn sees him as an effective blitzer.
Thumbs up: No matter how you dissect the Falcons’ draft, the bottom line is they needed to find players with more speed and more physicality than what’s on the current roster. The Falcons accomplished that goal in the first two picks of Neal and Jones. The wild card is Campbell, who is athletic and fast but lacks instincts. Hooper should be a tremendous asset in the red zone, and it's always helpful to have more offensive line help in the highly intelligent Schweitzer -- not to mention the speed Fuller could bring in the return game. Are the Falcons playoff contenders? Not sure yet. Did they get better with their draft picks? Absolutely.