Falcons must address pass rush if they aim to win the Superbowl.The Atlanta Falcons were within a whisker of beating the San Francisco 49ers and appearing in only their second Superbowl, however it was their well-known achilles heel that prevented them from doing so.
Atlanta struggled to attack the Quarterback throughout last year, and that is the top priority for a team that is looking to upgrade on the defensive side of the ball.
A pass rusher or linebacker should be top the list in terms of position for the Dirty Birds and luckily for them, they just so happen to be the position of best depth.
Straight away the steal of the first round could be Barkevious Mingo of LSU could very well be available at the end of the first round, and would be an instant hit in Atlanta and would be a serious upgrade on the defensive line.
If Atlanta can grab Mingo, then they could be in a position to simply draft the best player available in the draft, regardless of position, and look to add depth to an already very strong roster.
There are other directions the Falcons can go with their first pick, and that could be to draft an elite tight end prospect if Tony Gonzalez does retire. Tyler Eifert of Notre Dame possess all the attributes needed to be a top NFL player, and there is a good chance he will still be waiting for a team to select him when Atlanta pick at number 30.
Eifert is big, strong, and soft hands will create mis-matches across the middle of the field, and would a superb receiving target for Matt Ryan from day one.
One final option the Falcons could address is at running back. Michael Turner may not be around next season and finding a replacement could be high on the draft needs.
Eddie Lacy had a stellar season for Alabama and could be exactly what Atlanta needs to keep the running game at its traditional power-based style. With team needs at different positions, Lacy is expected to drop down draft boards, and could well fall all the way to number 30.
Atlanta are in great shape already heading into the 2013 season, and the players they do need, could be readily available to them in this years draft. If GM Thomas Dimitroff can perform well in this years draft, then we may be looking at the 2013 Superbowl champions before the season has even begun.
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