Stat of the Day: The Atlanta Falcons recorded just 22 sacks during the 2014 season. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston racked up 22 sacks by himself last year. It's no secret that the Falcons have to improve its pass-rush. New head coach Dan Quinn has hinted that getting after opposing quarterbacks will be a top priority next season and the team has been rumored to be in the market for pass-rushers once free agency opens.
But boding well for Atlanta's defensive rebuild is the fact that this year's draft is full of talented pass-rushers. In fact, ESPN NFL Draft Insider Todd McShay projects the Falcons to select Missouri defensive end Shane Ray in his Mock Draft 3.0.
"We moved Ray down our board a little bit this week, to No. 15," McShay wrote. "His below-average performance in the bench press (21 reps) and the face that he weighed in at just 246 pounds is a little bit of a concern when you scroll through the list of the NFL's sack leaders and recognize how many of them have power as a major component of their games. I also haven't been blown away by what I've seen from Ray on tape so far. However, he was a very productive player at Missouri, and once we get a chance to do his full evaluation and see his testing results at his pro day (he wasn't able to run in Indy due to an injury), we might move him back up. And the Falcons are in serious need of pass-rushing help for new head coach Dan Quinn's defense."
McShay may point to Ray's negatives, but it's not as if any player in the draft is perfect. It's true that if Ray hopes to remain at end, he'll have to bulk up significantly. But a switch to an edge-rushing linebacker is always possible. Von Miller (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) is on the lighter side yet still remains one of the most dangerous defensive players in the league.
Whether it's Ray or someone else, expect the Falcons to revamp the front seven to try and generate more pressure in 2015.
