2017 NFL Draft: Atlanta Falcons Final 7-Round Mock Draft
By Nafisa H
Round 2, Pick 63: Dion Dawkins, OL – Temple
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As well as Atlanta’s offense performed last season, the Falcons team couldn’t establish equilibrium between their passing and rushing attacks. Defenses stifled the Falcons run game by forcing running backs Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman to settle for minimal gains, if not simply stuffing them at the line. In the regular season, the team was tied for fifth in the NFL with 62 negative rushing plays.
The departures of Chris Chester (retirement) and Patrick DiMarco (free agent signing with the Buffalo Bills) leave gaping holes in Atlanta’s offensive line. Therefore, Atlanta Falcons will simply need to do better. And they can do that by drafting Dion Dawkins in the second round (63rd overall pick).
Weighing at 314 pounds, Dawkins is slightly larger than most teams would want but his good footwork and quickness will allow him to meet the Falcons’ need for speed. In addition to bringing these skills to the field, Dawkins also brings versatility as he can play right guard. In terms of being a tackle, if that’s where Atlanta would like for him to play down the line, he’ll need to further develop his technique and footwork on the outside. However, Dawkins could slot in at guard right away to help bolster the Falcons run game.