Shane Ray projected to Atlanta Falcons in post-combine mock draft

The Atlanta Falcons will be linked to virtually every defensive player under the sun in advance of the 2015 NFL Draft, and another prominent talent now fits that description. Nate Davis of USA Today Sports has released a post-combine mock draft, and with the eighth overall pick, Davis has pegged former Missouri pass-rusher Shane Ray to the Falcons.

Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the pick:

"The Falcons ranked dead last in defense in 2014 and had the fewest sacks (22) in the NFC. Ray would provide an instant cornerstone for new coach (and former Seahawks coordinator) Dan Quinn as he rebuilds Atlanta’s underachieving front seven."

There is now a full-fledged debate as to which pass-rusher would fit best in Flowery Branch, and it should be noted that in this mock scenario, Florida’s Dante Fowler was off the board. Still, Davis selected Ray ahead of Clemson’s Vic Beasley, and that is sure to rile up a portion of the Falcons fan base.

Shane Ray would certainly appear to be an upgrade over the present talent on the roster, but there are concerns about his size and strength at the NFL level. This projection is yet another reminder that nothing is firm at this point in the draft process, and the Atlanta Falcons are definitely going to garner a great deal of attention in the coming weeks.