The Atlanta Falcons are going to be looking to fill needs next weekend.  With that in mind, this is who I had the Falcons picking in my mock draft:

1st round (#27 overall) – Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State

2nd round (#59 overall) – Davon House, CB, New Mexico State

3rd round (#91 overall) – Niles Paul, WR, Nebraska

4th round (#124 overall) – Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh

5th round (#158 overall) – Cecil Shorts III, WR, Mount Union

6th round (#192 overall) – Brian Rolle, OLB, Ohio State

7th round (#210 overall) – Jamel Hamber, WR, Fresno State

7th round (#229 overall) – DeMarcus Van Dyke, CB, Miami (FL)

7th round (#230 overall) – Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers

This would be an awesome haul for the Falcons as the pass rush would be boosted and Matt Ryan would get some new guys to throw the football to.

The Atlanta Falcons tried to fill a bunch of need positions in last year’s NFL Draft but it didn’t go too well.  Here is a look at how the rookies did last year:

Sean Weatherspoon – In the first round the Falcons used the 19th overall pick on OLB Sean Weatherspoon of Missouri.  He played in 11 games (5 starts) for the Falcons last year and he had 42 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 sack.  Weatherspoon dealt with injuries most of last season and the Falcons hope he will improve if he can just stay healthy.

Corey Peters – The Falcons used the 83rd overall pick (3rd round) on DT Corey Peters out of Kentucky.  Peters played in 16 games (15 starts) for the Falcons last year and he had 33 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 sack and 1 pass defensed.  Peters instantly was one of the better run defenders on the Falcons, so he was a good pick and he has a solid future.

Mike Johnson – The Falcons picked OG Mike Johnson in the 3rd round (#98 overall) out of Alabama.  Johnson didn’t play in any games last year but he wasn’t hurt.  He will have to step up his game if he wants to keep getting paid to play football.

Joe Hawley – The Falcons picked C/OG Joe Hawley in the 4th round (#117 overall) out of UNLV.  He played in 15 games (0 starts) for the Falcons last year.  The Falcons like Hawley because he’s very aggressive.   He will likely be a starter in the near future for the Falcons.

Dominique Franks – The Falcons picked CB Dominique Franks in the 5th round (#135 overall) out of Oklahoma.  Franks played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Falcons last year and he had 1 tackle, 1 pass defensed and a interception that he returned 40 yards.  Franks has the potential to help the Falcons on D and he could possibly return kicks or punts if they need him to.

Kerry Meier – The Falcons took WR Kerry Meier in the 5th round (#165 overall) out of Kansas.  He looked good in training camp before an injury put him on Injured Reserve last August.  Meier will get another chance for the Falcons in 2011.

Shann Schillinger – The Falcons took  FS Shann Schillinger in the 6th round (#171 overall) out of Montana.  Schillinger played in 15 games (0 starts) for the Falcons last year and he had 8 tackles.  Schillinger is a decent special teams player and he might help out on D down the road.

GRADE FOR 2010 SEASON:  C-

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  C

The Falcons have placed rookie safety Shann Schillinger on the Injured Reserve List ending his season due to a fractured ankle.  The 24-year old Schillinger played in 15 games for the Falcons this year and he made 8 tackles.  He was a sixth round pick (#171 overall) out of Montana last April.  The Falcons might miss him a little bit on special teams but he’s not a impact player.

The Falcons used a first round pick on linebacker Sean Weatherspoon and he got off to a fast start to his NFL career.  In his first three games for the Falcons, Weatherspoon had 24 tackles and 1 sack.  But he injured his knee which caused him to miss some time and he doesn’t appear healthy quite yet.  Weatherspoon has played in 6 games for the Falcons so far this year and he has 32 tackles, 1 sack and 1 pass defensed.  The Falcons really like what they have seen out of Weatherspoon and the defense could really use him down the stretch this year if he can get close to 100% healthy.

The Falcons have lost rookie WR Kerry Meier for the year as he was placed on the Injured Reserve List due to a knee injury.  This will hurt the Falcons who don’t have a lot of depth at WR.  Meier played in both pre-season games for the Falcons this year and he had 3 receptions for 34 yards (11.3 avg).  He was a fifth round pick of the Falcons but he will have to wait until 2011 to show what he can or can not do.

The Falcons have selected safety Shann Schillinger with the 171st pick overall (6th round) of the NFL Draft.  Schillinger is on the skinny side at 6’1″, 199 pounds.  He had 11 tackles and 4 interceptions at Montana last season.  In his career at Montana, Schillinger had 40 tackles, 11 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 7 interceptions.  This pick was a long shot for the Falcons but Schillinger was at the right place at the right time a lot in college.

The Falcons have picked WR Kerry Meier with the 165th overall pick (5th round) of the NFL Draft.  Meier is a converted QB but he learned quickly as a possession type receiver.  He is 6’2″, 219 pounds and he runs a 4.65 40.  Meier is aggressive going for the ball most of the time even though he is shy sometimes over the middle.  Meier played in 12 games for Kansas last season and he caught 102 passes for 985 yards (9.7 avg) with 8 TD grabs.  He has played in 47 games (37 starts) in his four years in college and he caught 226 passes for 2,309 yards (10.2 avg) with 18 TD grabs.  The Falcons can also use Meier on trick plays as he was a QB when he got to Kansas and as a holder for kicks.  I think this was a solid pick for the Falcons.

The Falcons have picked CB Dominique Franks out of Oklahoma with the 135th overall pick (5th round) of the NFL Draft.  Franks is a outstanding athlete as he is 5’11″, 190 pounds and he runs a 4.4 40.  Franks is a gambling type as he makes a lot of big plays but he also gives up his fair share.  He is also a standout return man which is part of his game that could help the Falcons in the near future.  Franks played in 13 games (all starts) last season at Oklahoma and he had 47 tackles, he broke up 5 passes, he had 2 interceptions (97 return yards), he forced 1 fumble and he recovered 1 fumble.  Franks has now played in 40 games (28 starts) in his three years at Oklahoma in which he had 95 tackles, broke up 15 passes, he had 6 interceptions (149 return yards), he forced 1 fumble and he recovered 2 fumbles.  Franks has a nice upside as many experts predicted him to be picked in the 2nd or 3rd round.

The Falcons have selected G/C Joseph Hawley with the 117th overall pick (4th round) of the NFL Draft.  Hawley is a big guy at 6’3″, 311 pounds.  He can handle guard or center and he is also a good long snapper adding value to his overall game.  He is a good run blocker and a solid pass blocker who has a nasty attitude at times.  Hawley played in 12 games (all starts) at UNLV last season and he has played in 47 games (33 starts) in his four years there.  Hawley could develop into a starter fairly soon for the Falcons and I really like this pick for them.

The Falcons have selected OG Mike Johnson out of Alabama with the 98th pick overall (third round) of the NFL Draft.  Johnson has the size at 6’5″, 306 pounds to dominate but he’s a finesse player who is a much better pass blocker.  He is aggressive off the line but he does not have to power to lock and load in the running game.  Look for the Falcons to get Johnson in the weight room and keep him there for a while to add some hurtin’ power to his frame.  Johnson played in 14 games (all starts) at Alabama last season and he played in 54 games (41 starts) in his three years there.  I don’t think the Falcons are going to throw Johnson to the wolves right away but he has a nice upside if he improves his strength.