NFL Mock Draft 2013: Atlanta fills some serious needs

The Falcons have some holes despite winning 13 games last year after an interesting offseason.

By Matt Verderame Apr 8, 2013, 8:48am EDT

The Atlanta Falcons came within one game of the Super Bowl last year. With another offseason to tinker and improve, general manager Thomas Dimitroff has to feel good about his chances, which could become even better with a solid draft.

In SB Nation's three round mock written by Matthew Fairburn, Atlanta addresses three critical needs by taking cornerback Desmond Trufant of the Washington Huskies, SMU Mustangs defensive end Margus Hunt and South Carolina Gamecocks running back Marcus Lattimore.

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Trufant is the fourth corner coming off the board here after Dee Milliner and Xavier Rhodes, and would immediately slot in as a starter to replace Brent Grimes. After losing Grimes to the Miami Dolphins and Dunta Robinson to the Kansas City Chiefs, help is needed in the secondary.

Hunt is an athletic freak who ran a sub-4.7 40-yard dash at the combine despite being 278 pounds and 6'8. He's raw, but Hunt could really develop into the pass rusher that the Falcons now lack with John Abraham gone.

Last but not least, Lattimore would provide a long-term solution at running back. Steven Jackson is an excellent back with some tread on the tires, but Lattimore could be there for a decade if his knees hold up. It's hard not to be rooting for this kid; he never gave up despite a brutally gruesome injury in which he basically tore and broke everything in his leg.