2017 NFL Mock Draft: Projecting What Could Happen in the First Round
31. Falcons: Charles Harris, Edge Rusher
Top Needs: OT, DE, DT, OLB
The Atlanta Falcons are so close to becoming a true championship team. All they really have to do is plug holes in their front-seven; they were 11th-worst in Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play last year. They can add more pressure by drafting Missouri edge rusher Charles Harris to their squad.
Harris will probably inherit the role that Dwight Freeney currently occupies, and he ironically has a spin move that’s just as violent as Freeney’s. Harris’ pass-rushing prowess is evident on tape, as his lateral agility allows him to pounce from side to side of his blockers and find the best routes to the quarterback. He’ll have to anchor better against the run and use his hands more precisely and powerfully in both phases of the game. You cannot teach speed, though, and Harris has that in bundles.
