Getty Head coach Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons.
There has been a lot more chatter about the Atlanta Falcons making moves to trade up in the draft according to NFL insider, Ian Rapoport.
One team that appears poised to make some noise with a move up is the #Falcons. They have spent a lot of times evaluating and talking to players who figure to be gone by No. 16… and when other teams do their projections, they believe Atlanta will be on the move.
What has been unclear is WHO the Falcons would trade up for. NFL draft analyst for The Athletic Dan Brugler says the Falcons trading up for CB C.J. Henderson is “something to watch for.”
The Falcons are in dire need at the cornerback position after the release of Desmond Trufant. Trading up is Falcons’ general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s specialty when it comes to the talent he wants.
Dimitroff has traded up in the first round five times and has been successful with it every time. This year is different though. He and head coach Dan Quinn have their lives on the line after a terrible past few seasons, so they’ll make whatever sacrificing moves to create a firepower roster and keep their jobs.
C.J. Henderson’s Scouting Report
C.J. Henderson stands at 6’1″, 205 pounds. Last season he recorded 33 tackles and 11 pass breakups which led him to receive first-team All-SEC honors.
The Florida Gator proved himself NFL worthy as a junior, but really caught the attention of many scouts at the NFL Combine. He proved to be the most athletic athlete at his position. Henderson ran a 4.39 40-yard dash, had a 37.5-inch vert and he also put up 20 reps on the bench press.
Scouting expert, Jacob Infante of NFL Draft Wire gave his elevator pitch on Henderson:
“A fluid, lengthy and intelligent cornerback with Day 1 starting potential, Henderson should be high in demand when the draft rolls around. Given how he put to bed speed concerns (which probably shouldn’t have existed to begin with) with a 4.39 40-yard dash, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him drafted in the top half of the first round.”
The Falcons are definitely in need of a “Day 1 starting” cornerback and Henderson could be it.
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Falcons Also Have Their Eyes on Florida Edge
Henderson isn’t the only Gator the Falcons are looking at. The Falcons actually had a FaceTime meeting with Florida’s edge, Jonathan Greenard earlier this week.
Greenard is an absolute beast. He still managed to lead the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss last season even after missing playing time due to an ankle injury.
Before transferring to Florida, Greenard spent the beginning of his collegiate career at the University of Louisville. He had quite the season in 2017 recording 7 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. However, he missed the complete 2018 season with a wrist injury. From there, he left Louisville to reunite with his old defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham.
With help from Greenard, Florida ranked in the top college football defenses last season. In just the first five weeks of the season, Greenard made himself notable recording 22 QB pressures.
The 6’4″, 262-pound edge has the starting abilities the Falcons need.
Greenard is projected to go in the second round so hopefully, the Falcons can snag both of these Gators.
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NFL Rumors: Falcons Poised to Move Up in NFL Draft