Falcons sign Hawaii WR

The Honolulu Advertister reports that the Falcons have signed wide receiver C.J. Hawthorne, formerly of the University of Hawaii.

Hawthorne finished fourth on the team last season with 61 catches for 859 yards and 6 touchdowns. The 5'11" 167 wideout played cornerback as a junior. He had 16 tackles and 1 interception, starting 5 of 14 games that year. He was a transfer from Southwest Gulf Coast Community College.

Falcons add another undrafted safety

According to the Anniston Star, the Falcons haven't finished adding undrafted free agents. The Star reports that Auburn safety Eric Brock has been signed by the team. The 6' 208-pounder was a three-year starter at Auburn at strong safety. He finished his career with 149 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 13 pass breakups.

TheFalcons have really attempted to beef up their secondary the past few days. They drafted three defensive backs on the second day of the draft on Sunday, claimed another safety off waivers on Tuesday, and Brock is the fourth defensive back to sign as an undrafted free agent.

Falcons sign seven undrafted free agents

This is a compilation of several entries...

The Falcons announced the signing of seven undrafted free agents today, including the five players previously mentioned as being added along with two more. Those two additional free agents were offensive tackle Mike Butterworth (Slippery Rock) and safety D.J. Wolfe (Oklahoma).

The Falcons showed interest in Butterworth before by attending Slippery Rock's pro day in March.

Wolfe earned second team all Big12 honors this past year, finishing the year with 87 tackles and 4 interceptions. This past season was his first at the safety position after spending two previous years at cornerback.

Bloomsburg University reports that running back Jamar Brittingham has signed a free agent contract with the Falcons. Brittingham is Bloomsburg's all-time leading rusher and scorer with 5,689 yards and 516 points scored. He was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, given to Division II's top player. This past season he had 1,435 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Miami Herald reports that Miami cornerback Glenn Sharpe has signed as an undrafted free agent with the Falcons. The 6' 185-pound cornerback had issues with injuries during his college career, suffering knee injuries that caused him to miss the 2004 and 2005 seasons. His best season came in 2006 as a junior, where he had 44 tackles and 2 interceptions, and led the Hurricanes with 14 pass deflections.

KFFL.com cites Josh Buchanan of NFL Draft Bible.com that the Falcons have signed Georgia defensive end/linebacker Brandon Miller. At 6'2" 252, Miller finished this past season with 35 tackles.

KFFL.com also cites agent Paul Sheehy of ProStar Sports Agency that they have added punter Jimmie Kaylor of Colorado State. The 6'3" 198-pound punter was on the Ray Guy Award watch list his senior year, averaging 43.2 yards on 52 punts, with 19 placed inside the 20-yard line.

MLive.com reports that Central Michigan linebacker Ike Brown has signed with the Falcons. Brown is listed at 5'11" 203 pounds, played running back, safety, and linebacker during his career with the Chippewas. He had 106 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks this past season.

Falcons round up draft with Zinger

With the Falcons final pick in the draft, the Falcons attempted to improve depth at tight end by taking LSU's Keith Zinger, who performed as a blocker mostly for the Tigers. He'll help alleviate the loss of Alge Crumpler and Dwayne Blakley in free agency this past year.

Falcons find Fontenot

The Falcons were able to continue to try and shore up their secondary by selecting cornerback Wilrey Fontenot out of a Arizona with the first of two seventh round picks. Fontenot is undersized cornerback, but productive with 40 tackles, 1 interception, and 7 pass breakups this past season.

The Falcons already selected LSU's Chevis Jackson earlier on Sunday, and together they will likely be asked to shore up depth immediately behind starters Chris Houston and Von Hutchins with the hope of possibly competing for more playing time down the road.

Falcon choose Thomas Brown

The Falcons shore up some running back depth with Thomas Brown with their sixth round selection. Brown, out of the University of Georgia, has battled injuries in his career, but was a productive player for the Bulldogs. He finished his career with 2,646 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. He'll get a chance to compete with Jason Snelling for a reserve running back position this summer.

Falcons snatch Biermann

The Falcons attempted to upgrade their pass rush by drafting Montana defensive end Kroy Biermann with their second fifth round pick.

Biermann, an undersized pass rusher is listed at 6'3" 246 pounds, but tallied 27 sacks, 32.5 tackles for loss, and 148 tackles the past two seasons at Montana. Due to his smaller stature, the Falcons might be thinking about moving him to linebacker. He won the Buck Buchanan Award this past year, given to the top player in FCS (formerly Division I-AA).

Falcons take James

The Falcons drafted Arizona State linebacker Robert James with their fifth round choice. James should add some depth at outside linebacker. He's a little undersized, listed at 219 pounds, but was productive for the Sun Devils last year, recording 106 tackles and 4 interceptions. He began his career as a defensive back, and might project there as well in the NFL due to his small stature.

Falcons get DeCoud

The Falcons finished their slate of three third round picks by taking California free safety Thomas DeCoud. DeCoud was considered one of the better safety prospects in this draft, and will provide needed depth at safety.

He only had 1 interception during his career at Cal which came last year, but he also tallied 116 tackles as a senior. The Falcons have modified their safety position this off-season, by signing Erik Coleman to start at free safety and letting Chris Crocker go. There are current rumors that backup safety Jimmy Williams may be on his way out due to his absence from the Falcons mini-camp last week.

Falcons draft Douglas

With their second third round pick, acquired from the Washington Redskins, the Falcons took Louisville wide receiver Harry Douglas. Douglas was the primary receiver for Brian Brohm at Louisville, catching 141 passes for 2,424 yards and 13 touchdowns the past two seasons.

The addition of Douglas could potentially push veterans Joe Horn or Brian Finneran off the roster.

Falcons nab Jackson

With their first pick in the third round, the Falcons took LSU cornerback Chevis Jackson. Jackson is expected to help fill some of the void left by DeAngelo Hall. He had 5 interceptions last season for LSU, an integral part of their championship team.

The Falcons have two more picks in the third round. One acquired from the Washington Redskins, and the third being a compensatory pick awarded by the NFL.

Falcons draft Lofton

With their second round pick, the No. 37 overall pick, the Falcons selected linebacker Currtis Lofton out of Oklahoma.

Lofton played middle linebacker for the Sooners, and could potentially play the same for the Falcons. The team is looking to groom a replacement and heir apparent to Keith Brooking in the middle. But Lofton may also work early on at weakside linebacker, where Stephen Nicholas is expected to be the starter.

Lofton registered 157 tackles and 3 interceptions last season in 14 games.

Falcons trade up for Baker

The Falcons traded up from the top of the second round with the Washington Redskins, to take USC offensive tackle Sam Baker with the 21st overall pick.  Baker is expected to play left tackle for the Falcons, which is vacant currently due to the release of Wayne Gandy. Baker protected quarterbacks such as John David Booty and Matt Leinart during his Trojan carerer, and now will be tasked with protecting the blindside of the Falcons top pick Matt Ryan.

UPDATE: The Falcons gave up two second round picks (No. 34 and 48 overall) and a fourth round pick (No. 103) to acquire the Redskins first (No. 21), third (No. 84), and fifth round picks (No. 154).

Falcons take Ryan

With the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan.

Ryan was the favored selection in a number of mock drafts around the internet for the past few months. The Falcons have a need for quarterback due to the incarceration of Michael Vick and the lack of a bonafide long-term solution on the roster. Despite having meager representation at Matt Ryan's pro day in March, it would seem the Falcons have targeted him all along. The Falcons conducted a private workout with Ryan in the following weeks and came away impressed.

Tracking the Falcons Draft Interest

Using various sources including but not limited to NFL.com, Scout.com, New Era Scouting, Football.com, KFFL.com, NFL Draft Countdown, and various local newspapers covering schools and individual prospects, we have compiled a list of prospects that the Falcons have worked out, interviewed, or reportedly shown mild interest in.

Private Workouts
Each NFL team is limited by the number of official visits it can have with draft prospects. Here is a list of players that according to various sources have been visited by the Falcons or have visited the Falcons for such. Dates if specified are included in parentheses:

QB John David Booty, USC
QB Brian Brohm, Louisville
QB Joe Flacco, Delaware (Mar. 28)
QB Chad Henne, Michigan
QB Josh Johnson, San Diego
QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
QB Andre Woodson, Kentucky
RB Jamar Brittingham, Bloomsburg
RB Jamaal Charles, Texas (Apr. 8-9)
RB Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech
RB Matt Forte, Tulane (Mar. 17)
RB Chris Johnson, East Carolina (Apr. 11)
RB Kalvin McRae, Ohio (Apr. 10)
RB Ray Rice, Rutgers
FB Mike Cox, Georgia Tech (Apr. 10)
WR Adrian Arrington, Michigan (Mar. 28)
WR Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech
WR Mario Urrutia, Louisville
TE Scott Kuhn, Louisville
TE Martin Rucker, Missouri (Mar. 28)
TE Craig Stevens, California
OT Nate Garner, Arkansas (Apr. 16-17)
OT Jake Long, Michigan (Mar. 27)
OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh (Apr. 16)
OT Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers
DE Lawrence Jackson, USC
DE Kendall Langford, Hampton
DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
LB Cliff Avril, Purdue
LB Dan Connor, Penn State
LB Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma
LB Brandon Miller, Georgia (Apr. 8)
CB Charles Godfrey, Iowa
CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy State (Apr. 10-12)
CB Aqib Talib, Kansas
CB Terrell Thomas, USC
CB Jack Williams, Kent State
S Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State (Apr. 14)

Reportedly Interested in:
Some of these players were among many the Falcons spoke with at either the Senior Bowl or the Combine, or have been players that the Falcons have been on hand to see at their pro days. It's quite possible that many of these players have also worked out privately for the Falcons, but that has yet to be confirmed. If so, they will be moved to the above list accordingly.

QB Erik Ainge, Tennessee
QB Colt Brennan, Hawaii
QB Dennis Dixon, Oregon
QB Paul Smith, Tulane
RB Thomas Brown, Georgia
RB Justin Forsett, California
RB Rafael Little, Kentucky
RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
RB Dantrell Savage, Oklahoma State
RB Steve Slaton, West Virginia
RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
RB Chauncey Washington, USC
FB Owen Schmitt, West Virginia
WR Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State
WR Harry Douglas, Louisville
WR James Hardy, Indiana
WR Andrew Hawkins, Toledo
WR Dexter Jackson, Appalachian State
WR Darius Reynaud, West Virginia
TE Gary Barnidge, Louisville
TE Brad Cottam, Tennessee
TE Fred Davis, USC
TE Matt Mulligan, Maine
TE Jacob Tamme, Kentucky
OT Mike Butterworth, Slippery Rock
OT Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
OT Anthony Collins, Kansas
OT Carlton Medder, Florida
OT Chad Rinehart, Northern Iowa
OT Barry Richardson, Clemson
OT Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
OC John Sullivan, Notre Dame
DE Johnny Dingle, West Virginia
DE Chris Ellis, Virginia Tech
DE Greyson Gunheim, Washington
DE Bryan Mattison, Iowa
DE Hilee Taylor, North Carolina
DT Dre Moore, Maryland
DT Carlton Powell, Virginia Tech
DT DeMario Pressley, N.C. State
DT Pat Sims, Auburn
DT Lorenzo Williams, Missouri
LB John Lee, Charleston Southern
LB Wesley Woodyard, Kentucky
CB Dwight Lowery, San Jose State
S Josh Barrett, Arizona State
S Thomas DeCoud, California
S Brad Mueller, Slippery Rock
S Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame
K Brandon Coutu, Georgia

Troy's McKelvin will get a look

Ed Thompson of Scout.com reports that Troy State cornerback Leodis McKelvin will visit the Falcons for three days later this week. According to the report, McKelvin will first arrive in Atlanta on Thursday evening, tour the Falcons facilities on Friday, and wrap up his visit with a workout on Saturday.

It will be part of a busy two weeks for McKelvin, who will work out with 8 other teams over the course of 12 days, beginning with the New Orleans Saints on Monday, April 7, and wrapping up with the Tennessee Titans on Friday, April 18. Per Thompson, he will also workout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys.

McKelvin is considered one of the top cornerbacks in this year's draft class. He is ranked as the top cornerback at NFLDraftCountdown.com as well as the rankings of NFL.com's Mike Mayock. McKelvin measured 5'10" and 190 pounds at the Combine and was clocked with a 4.38 40-yard dash time. McKelvin finished his career at Troy with only 4 interceptions, but broke up 22 passes. He really shined as a return threat, scoring 7 touchdowns and averaging 13.1 yards per return on punts, with 1 score and a 23.7 average on 99 kickoffs.

While it's highly doubtful the Falcons are considering McKelvin with the No. 3 overall pick, in the chance they trade back a few spots at the top of the first round, he would likely be on their radar. The Falcons are likely looking to bolster the cornerback position in the draft following the trade of DeAngelo Hall.

The Falcons awarded 3rd round compensatory pick

The Falcons were awarded a compensatory third round draft pick by the NFL. The Falcons were one of four teams to receive a third round pick and will pick 35th in Round Three, or the 98th overall pick in the draft.

Annually, the league awards 32 compensatory draft selections to teams that lose free agents in the previous year's off-season. Only certain free agents are considered, and it's not a requirement that there is a net loss. The formula for determining it is a closely guarded secret, although there have been some attempts by outsiders to crack it. The Falcons were compensating due to the losses of Patrick Kerney, Justin Griffinth, and Ashley Lelie last off-season.

The Falcons now hold eleven total draft picks, including six in the Top 103 selections. Compensatory picks are not eligible to be traded.

Upcoming work outs with Brohm and McRae

According to Carlos "Big C" Holmes of the Dayton Daily News, the Falcons will work out Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm next week. According to Holmes, Brohm had a phenomenal pro day and performed brilliantly this past Monday. Earlier this off-season, Holmes reported that Brohm is the top quarterback on the Falcons draft board, ahead of Matt Ryan, who is the popular choice for experts in multiple mock drafts.

Also Holmes reports that the Falcons have a private workout scheduled for Ohio University running back Kalvin McRae on April 10 as well. McRae was one of the nation's top rushers this past year, with 1,434 rushing yards. For his career, McRae rushed for 4,398 yards at Ohio, while also catching 84 passes and scoring 49 touchdowns. NFLDraftCountdown.com ranks him as the 28th best running back in this year's class, making him a possibility as a late round or undrafted rookie pickup.

Falcons check out prospects at the Rock pro day

Slippery Rock University's Online Rocket reports that the Falcons were the lone NFL team represented at the Slippery Rock pro day. There they watched offensive tackle Mike Butterworth, the team's only viable pro prospect. Slippery Rock head coach George Mihalik was quoted as saying the Falcons have serious interest in Butterworth. The 6'7" 305 offensive tackle was a highly honored player in Division II football this year. Mihalik had also worked out at Duquesne's pro day last week. Butterworth, a three-year starter at SRU is ranked the 39th best offensive tackle this year by NFLDraftScout.com, and likely will be an undrafted rookie free agent.

Also, the Falcons were on hand to look at SRU track athlete Brad Mueller, who ran a reported 4.24 40 at the pro day. Mueller recently won the 60-meter dash at the Division II National Champonship. Mueller, 5'11" 175, was a reserve safety who had 17 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery as a senior.

Falcons to work out more QB prospects

Adam Caplan of Scout.com reports that in addition to the upcoming workout with Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco, the Falcons also plan to hold private workouts with Michigan's Chad Henne and USC's John David Booty by next week, if they already have not done so. Previous reports have indicated that the team has worked out or will do so with other top signal callers including Brian Brohm of Louisville, Boston College's Matt Ryan, and Kentucky's Andre Woodson.

It is expected that the Falcons will use one of their top four selections on the quarterback position. The Falcons hold the No. 3 overall pick, and Ryan has been a very popular choice among internet mock drafts since the fall. If not with the first round pick, it is expected the Falcons could use one of their three second round picks on any of those prospects. Those six prospects are widely considered to be the consensus top six quarterbacks in this year's draft class.

Previous reports indicated Flacco would work on Wednesday the 26th, but Scout.com is now reporting his workout with the Falcons will be on Friday the 28th.

Falcons get a look at Pitt prospects

The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reports that Falcons scouts were among more than 40 in attendance at the University of Pittsburgh's pro day workout in Monday.

No specific news on which Pitt players the Falcons were looking at, but one prominent prospect that the Falcons didn't get an opportunity to see was offensive tackle Jeff Otah. Otah decided to skip the school's pro day and will instead conduct a private workout for NFL teams and scouts on April 9. Other notable prospects working out were defensive Joe Clermond, offensive lineman Matt McGlynn, and tight end Darrell Strong. All are projected as middle to late round picks.

Otah started at left tackle the past two seasons after being a JUCO transfer. He earned PFW 1st team All-American honors this past year. Clermond had 18 sacks and 36.5 tackles for loss in his Panther career, including 10.5 sacks this past season. McGlynn made 31 consecutive starts at right tackle, with a total of 40 at right tackle and 2 at right guard during his career. Strong had a career-high 29 catches last season for the Panthers in his first as full-time starter.

Hall deal finalized

Hall will sign a seven-year contract with the Oakland Raidrs worth a reported $67 million according to the AJC, with $24.5 million in guaranteed money per NFL.com. NFL.com and other sources report that the total worth of the contract is $70 million. The Raiders have agreed to send the Falcons their second round pick this year (34th overall) as well as a fifth round pick in next year's draft.

Per the AJC, the Falcons save roughly $3 million in cap space and already are about $12 million under the $116 million salary cap.

Falcon scout at Maine pro day

The Bangor Daily News reports that at least one Falcons representative was on hand for the University of Maine's pro day on Wednesday March 19. That rep was the team's northeast regional scout Bruce Plummer. Plummer was among a handful of NFL scouts on hand to view four prospective NFL players from Maine.

The main attraction was tight end Matt Mulligan. Mulligan measured 6'5" 258 pounds, did 34 bench reps of 225 pounds, and measured a 35.5-inch vertical leap. He also ran a 4.89 40-yard dash time. This past season, he caught 13 passes for 157 yards (12.1 avg) and 2 touchdowns. Mulligan is noted for his blocking ability and is ranked by NFLDraftScout.com as the 29th best tight end in this year's class.

None of the Maine players are expected to be drafted, but all could be pursued as free agents following the draft.

Falcons will work out Brohm

Amidst of a two-part interview with Chris Steuber of Scout.com, Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm indicates that he has a private workout scheduled with the Atlanta Falcons in the future following his pro day. Brohm is scheduled to work out at Louisville's pro day on March 24. Previous reports indicate that the Falcons may have keen interest in Brohm.

Updating another earlier report, Scout.com reports that Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco is scheduled to work out for the Falcons on March 26.

Falcons like Medder

GatorSports.com reports that the Falcons have shown interest in Florida offensive tackle Carlton Medder. Medder started the past two seasons at right tackle for the Gators. At 6'5" 319, he's known for his strength and run blocking ability, but needs to work on pass protection. He earned All-SEC second team honors this past season and is considered a potential late round selection.

Falcons look at Langford and Hawkins

Ed Thompson of Scout.com reports that the Falcons have already conducted a workout with Hampton defensive Kendall Langford. Langford measured 6'6" 287 pounds at last month's Combine, where he ran a 4.97 40 and did 24 bench reps of 225 pounds. Langford is widely considered to be one of the premier defensive ends in this year's draft class that projects to the 3-4 scheme, but likely would play defensive tackle in the Falcons 4-3 scheme. In four years at Hampton, he recorded 236 tackles, 24.5 sacks, and 56 tackles for loss. This past year, he had 6 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 72 tackles.

Thompson also reports that the Falcons have shown interest in Toledo's Andrew Hawkins. Hawkins played both wide receiver and cornerback for Toledo, as well as returned kickoffs. He is the younger brother of NFL defensive back Artrell Hawkins, currently with the New York Jets. Hawkins is considered a sleeper in the draft, but has been garnering greater interest from NFL scouts as of late due to his impressive Combine workout last month. There, he ran a 4.34 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical leap, and 4.03 20-yard shuttle time, which would have been among the top for either wide receiver or cornerback position. At 5'7" 187 pounds, however Hawkins would be considered undersized for either offense or defense. This past season, Hawksin had 29 receptions for 246 yards (8.5 avg), 54 rushing yards on 11 carries (4.9 avg) and a touchdown, returned 21 kickoffs for an average of 17 yards, and had 14 tackles on defense.

Falcon presence limited at Ryan's pro day

Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Falcons only sent two representatives to the much-anticipated workout of Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan. Representing the team was director of college scouting Phil Emery and director of player personnel Les Snead. None of the Falcons chief representatives, including president Rich McKay, general manager Thomas Dimitroff, and head coach Mike Smith were on hand.

Robinson also reports that the Falcons are expected to work Ryan out in a private workout before the April 26 draft. Which could be a reason for the lack of representation since they will be able to get a longer and closer look at him at the later event.

Robinson indicated Ryan had a solid, not spectacular workout in front of scouts. Various reports indicate that representatives from at least 23 teams were on hand to view Ryan's workout. It's been reported that Ryan was able to complete 48 of 52 passes thrown in his workout. The four incompletions included three dropped passes and one overthrow.

Falcons work out Forte

NFL.com's Gil Brandt reports that Tulane running back Matt Forte will perform in a private workout with the Falcons today. Forte has been one of the more impressive running backs since the end of the collegiate season, earning Senior Bowl MVP honors and performing well in drills at last month's Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. There, Forte ran a 4.46 40-yard dash time and did 23 bench reps of 225 pounds. That only caps off a great final year at Tulane, where he finished second in the nation with 2,127 rushing yards and third with 23 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes. Forte measured 6'1" 221 pounds at Tulane's pro day last week.

Forte was one of several prospects that Falcons showed interest in at January's Senior Bowl.

Hall to be traded to Raiders

ESPN reports that the Falcons have agreed in principle on a deal to ship disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for their second round pick. The deal is dependent on Hall agreeing to a contract with the Raiders. Hall is expected to sign a deal worth just under the six-year $57 million contract that free agent cornerback Asante Samuel signed with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month. Samuel received $20 million in guarantees as part of that contract. The Raiders hold the 34th overall pick in the draft. Currently, the Falcons already hold two other second round picks (Nos. 37 and 48).

UPDATE: The AJC reports that the Falcons may also receive the Raiders sixth round pick as part of the proposed Hall trade. Hall denied that any trade was imminent in the AJC's report, indicating that contract negotiations between he and the Raiders are not yet completed.

Falcons will look at Long

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reports that the Falcons plan to meet with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long on March 28 for a private workout. Long was one of the more impressive players at the Combine last month, measuring in at 6'7" 313 pounds and lifting 37 reps on the 225-pound bench press. His 37 reps were tied for the most of any prospect at the Combine. According to Schefter, it seems very likely that Long will be taken at some point in the top 3 picks of the draft. The Falcons pick third following the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams.

Falcons like Brohm?

Carlos "Big C" Holmes of the Dayton Daily News writes that a reliable source within the Falcons organization indicates that Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm is the highest-rated passer on the team's draft board. Holmes reports that owner Arthur Blank has been "sold" on Brohm for some time and will be able to improve the team's questionable receiving corps.

Holmes indicates that Brohm is much more highly thought of by several NFL teams such as the Falcons than much of the media would lead you to believe based on various reports on a multitude of internet draft sites. Holmes also reports that Brohm met with the Falcons during the Combine.

This past season, Brohm finished sixth in FBS rankings with 4,024 passing yards. He also completed 65% of his passes and threw 30 touchdowns. For his career at Louisville, Brohm passed for 10,775 yards, 71 touchdowns, and completed 65.8% of his of 1,185 attempts, while throwing only 24 interceptions. Brohm played under former Falcons head coach Bobby Petrino for three years at Louisville. He entered this past season as the No. 1 quarterback prospect according to a number of draft sources, but his stock dipped somewhat due to the Cardinals struggling to a 6-6 record.

Brohm is scheduled to work out at Louisville's pro day on March 24.

Flacco will workout; Moorehead will visit

Adam Caplan of Scout.com reports that the Falcons are expected to schedule a private workout with Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco. The Falcons already plan to workout Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson next week. No word on exactly when Flacco's workout is supposed to be. The Falcons showed particular interest in Flacco during the Senior Bowl week.

Flacco passed for 4,263 yards last season with 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He completed 63.5% of his 521 attempts. Flacco was a two-year starter at Delaware, after transferring from Pittsburgh. He is widely considered to be among the top quarterbacks in this year's upcoming class, ranking as the third-best quarterback on Mike Mayock of NFL.com's rankings.

Also included in the report is that the Falcons have scheduled an upcoming visit with Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kindal Moorehead. No date was mentioned. Moorehead has spent the past five seasons as a reserve with the Panthers. With the Falcons, Moorehead would likely get the chance to compete for a starting position. He recorded a career-high 5 sacks in 2005. His most extensive playing time came in 2004, where he filled in for an injured Kris Jenkins, starting 12 games, and finishing the year with 38 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery. For his career, Moorehead has appeared in 75 games, starting 13 of them, and recorded 104 tackles, 9.5 sacks, forced 1 fumble, recovered 3, 1 interception, and 1 touchdown. He was originally a 5th round pick by the Panthers in 2003.

UPDATE: The Rock Hill Herald reports that Moorehead has agreed to a two-year contract with the Falcons. He will travel to Atlanta on Thursday to take a physical, and if he passes the deal will be finalized on Friday or Saturday.

Woodson to work out for Falcons

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the Falcons will conduct a private workout of Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson next week. Woodson participated in his school's pro day workout today in front of several scouts from 25 teams. The Falcons were not among them according to the Courier-Journal.

Woodson measured in at 6'4" 229 pounds at the Combine two weeks ago. He did not participate in any drills due to injury issues. He was still battling a slightly pulled hamstring today, but managed to still run a 40-yard dash time of 4.8 according to both reports. He also managed to complete 16 of 20 passes in his workout.

Woodson, once perceived as one a potential first round pick, has seen his stock drop in recent months due to a less than stellar performance at the Senior Bowl in January. He's been criticized for his slow release, something that he reportedly has only modified slightly since. This past season, Woodson threw for 3,709 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

Combine Watch List

The Falcons will be looking at several prospects throughout their six-day stay at the NFL's Scouting Combine this weekend. Here are just a few of the players that the Falcons have reportedly shown interest in:

TE Gary Barnidge, Louisville (source: KFFL.com)
SS Josh Barrett, Arizona State (source: Scout.com)
WR Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State (source: Scout.com)
QB Brian Brohm, Louisville (source: Dayton Daily News)
RB Thomas Brown, Georgia (source: Scout.com)
OT Gosder Cherilus, Boston College (source: KFFL.com)
RB Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech (source: Scout.com)
OT Anthony Collins, Kansas (source: KFFL.com)
FS Thomas DeCoud, California (source: AJC)
DE Johnny Dingle, West Virginia (source: KFFL.com)
RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas (source: AJC)
WR Darius Reynaud, West Virginia (source: KFFL.com)
RB Ray Rice, Rutgers (source: Courier News)
WR Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech (source: Scout.com)
DT Pat Sims, Auburn (source: KFFL.com)
RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon (source: Register-Guard)
SS Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame (source: AJC)

Falcons win coin toss, pick 3rd

ESPN's John Clayton reports that the Falcons won the initial coin toss to determine the order in which they, the Oakland Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs would pick in this April's draft. By winning the toss, the Falcons will select third, the Raiders fourth, and the Chiefs fifth.

Coin flip on Friday

Steve Wyche of the AJC reports that the coin flip(s) which will control the fates of the Falcons, Raiders, and Chiefs in this year's draft will be held on Friday in a special meeting during the NFL's annual Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff will represent the team. First the Falcons will flip against the Oakland Raiders. The winner of that flip will pick third in the draft. If the Falcons lose that initial coin flip, then they will flip again with the Chiefs to determine who selects fourth. Two flips may be required since the Chiefs hold a tiebreaker over the Raiders and automatically will be slated after them in the draft order. If the Falcons win the initial flip, a second one will not be required.

The Combine begins this Wednesday and will last six days.

Falcons show interest in QB and WR

Ed Thompson of Scout.com reports that the Falcons have shown considerable interest in two draft prospects: Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith and Indiana wide receiver James Hardy.

Smith finished second in the nation with 5065 passing yards. His 47 passing touchdowns also ranked 2nd in the country, and adding in his 13 rushing scores, he outscored Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow (55 touchdowns) last season. Scout.com's Chris Steuber ranks him as the 10th best quarterback invited to the Combine likely indicating he has a chance to be a mid-to-late round draft pick.

Hardy, an underclassman, ranked 2nd in the country with 16 receiving touchdowns. He grabbed 79 passes for 1125 yards (14.2 avg) this past season. His 6'6" 220-pound frame gives him intriguing size, and a number of draft sites rank him among the Top 3 of available wide receivers, meaning there's great potential for him to be a first round pick this April. Hardy played basketball as a true freshman at Indiana. That year, he played in 23 games, starting 3 times. He averaged 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 10.7 minutes of playing time.

Senior Bowl interest heats up

During their annual Senior Bowl coverage, Scout.com also tracks which NFL teams show particular interest in certain players during the course of the week. Teams conduct formal and informal interviews with players during the day. Here are the players that Scout.com has reported that the Falcons have shown interest in, and the date of the report:

Jan. 21: QB Joe Flacco, Delaware
Jan. 22: QB Erik Ainge, Tennessee; QB Colt Brennan, Hawaii; RB Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech; TE Fred Davis, USC; RB Matt Forte, Tulane; DT DeMario Pressley, N.C. State; RB Dantrell Savage, Oklahoma State; OT Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
Jan. 23: DE Chris Ellis, Virginia Tech; RB Justin Forsett, California; QB Chad Henne, Michigan; OT Barry Richardson, Clemson; TE Martin Rucker, Missouri
Jan. 24: K Brandon Coutu, Georgia; CB Terrell Thomas, USC; RB Chauncey Washington, USC; LB Wesley Woodyard, Kentucky

NFL Draft Countdown also lists several players the Falcons spoke to or were looking at during the week:

Jan. 22: WR Harry Douglas, Louisville; RB Rafael Little, Kentucky; C John Sullivan, Notre Dame
Jan. 23: S Thomas DeCoud, California; DE Bryan Mattison, Iowa; OT Chad Rinehart, Northern Iowa; TE Jacob Tamme, Kentucky

Falcons sign Blalock and QB

As an update to previous reports, the Falcons did come to terms with second round draft pick Justin Blalock on Thursday. Blalock agreed to a five-year deal. Blalock began his Falcon career on Friday taking snaps with the first team at left guard, where he will be attempting to hold off Toniu Fonoti for the starting role.

Also the Falcons signed free agent QB Lang Campbell. Campbell will fill the role of fourth quarterback during training camp as the Falcons are without Michael Vick for an indefinite amount of time.

Campbell most recently spent time with the Austin Wranglers of the Arena Football League this past spring, passing for 2279 yards and 41 touchdowns. Prior to that he played with the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe the previous spring. He has spent the past two training camps with the Cleveland Browns, but has failed to make the roster each time. He spent the final week of the 2006 season inactive as the Browns third quarterback.

He was an undrafted rookie in 2005 out of William & Mary, where he won the Walter Payton Award as a senior, given annually to the top player in Division I-AA football.

Houston, Irons, and Lewis sign

Steve Wyche of the AJC reports that the Falcons have come to terms with three of the five remaining rookies. Most notable among them is second round pick Chris Houston, along with sixth rounders David Irons and Trey Lewis.

Houston agreed to a five-year contract, while both Irons and Lewis signed four-year deals. Houston is expected to compete for a starting position with Lewis Sanders opposite DeAngelo Hall. Irons and Lewis will both be competing for reserve roles at cornerback and defensive tackle, respectively.

Their signings along with the inking of top pick Jamaal Anderson means that