The Atlanta Falcons, stacked with young talent coming off a Super Bowl run, don't have to go into the NFL draft totally desperate.
They do, however, need to keep their focus on available pass-rushers with the draft set to begin Thursday night.
The Falcons enter the draft with the 31st overall pick in the first round. While some believe they should target either a defensive back or a potential starting right guard, securing an impact pass-rusher opposite reigning NFL sacks leader Vic Beasley Jr. is expected to be first priority, no matter how tempting straying to another position might be.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn recently said between five and eight edge rushers in this year's draft class will have immediate impacts. The best is Myles Garrett, who should be the No. 1 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns. Then comes Solomon Thomas from Stanford. Alabama's Tim Williams, with off-the-field issues, has been taken off the Falcons' draft board. And Michigan's Taco Charlton hasn't exactly drawn serious interest from Atlanta during the draft process.
That would leave at least four players as potential difference-makers on Day 1. That group of four likely includes Temple's Haason Reddick, Tennessee's Derek Barnett, Missouri's Charles Harris and UCLA's Takkarist McKinley, all of whom are ranked among the top 24 of ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay's top 300 prospects.
Reddick, a do-it-all player, could be a top-10 pick. If he's in the top 15, maybe the Falcons could swing a deal to land his toughness and versatility. A report circulated Wednesday night that the Browns might be willing to trade down from the 12th overall pick, with the top pick also in hand. And the Falcons seem willing to trade up, if the deal is reasonable.
The 6-foot-1, 237-pound Reddick would fit nicely in the Falcons' system as either an inside or outside linebacker as well as at edge rusher, despite being a little undersized. Reddick's 4.52 speed in the 40-yard dash makes him that much more appealing for a coach in Quinn who emphasizes being fast and physical.
The 6-3, 259-pound Barnett doesn't have the same type of speed (4.88), but his film shows a player who knows how to use his hands and his leverage. He's more of a straight-line rusher. Barnett is likely to be another player the Falcons would have to move up for, based on his top 15-20 projection.
The 6-3, 253-pound Harris might be the most polished rusher of the four. He has a quick first step and great lateral quickness. There are mixed reviews on whether he goes in the top half of the first round or falls to where the Falcons might be able to snatch him. Harris, who like Reddick and Barnett had a private workout with the Falcons, said he could envision himself rushing alongside a great player such as Beasley.
The 6-2, 250-pound McKinley is the wild card of the group, coming off shoulder surgery. He has speed and is relentless, although he still has to develop as a pure pass-rusher. The injury history could scare some teams, but the Falcons could afford to take a chance with a player who could end up being dynamic while playing opposite Beasley.
If the Falcons strike out on all four of those edge rushers, then maybe the likes of safety Jabrill Peppers from Michigan or Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp will look more appealing. Lamp is expected to be off the board well before the 31st pick. Peppers' stock is uncertain after he tested positive for a dilute sample at the combine, although the Falcons did not take Peppers off their draft board after that news surfaced.