Sports

5 players for Falcons to scout in college football’s title game

The Falcons are scouting the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night (8 p.m., ESPN) in New Orleans.

The Falcons have four picks in the top 100 of the 2020 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23-25 in Las Vegas.

The Falcons pick 16th (first round), 47th (second), 55th (second from New England), 78th (third), 109 (fourth), 140th (fifth) and 206th (seventh).

Here are five players for the Falcons to watch in the game:

1. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson, OLB: The ball-hawking hybrid linebacker can also play safety. At 6-4 and 225 pounds, he can play near the line of scrimmage and, as a former safety has coverage skills. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has compared Simmons to Falcons safety Keanu Neal.

2. Kristian Fulton, LSU, CB: “Fulton was the highest-graded cornerback in SEC play this season,” according to Pro Football Focus. “NFL evaluators will love that he’s lined up in press coverage on the third-most snaps of any draft-eligible cornerback (301).” Fulton is a big cornerback at 6-foot and 200 pounds.

3. Grant Delpit, LSU, S: 6-2, 203 pounds: This season he became the third player in LSU history to win the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. He joined former first-round NFL Draft picks in Patrick Peterson (2010) and Morris Claiborne (2011).

4. Tremaine Anchrum, Clemson, RT (NFL guard): The offensive line remains a big issue for the Falcons and they must continue to address the situation in the draft. Anchrum, who played at McEachern High, could play guard at the NFL level. He’s 6-foot-2 and 315 and has accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl. Anchrum became the starter at right tackle in 2018 and has played in more than 53 games, including 35 starts entering the Bowl season.

5. Travis Etienne, Clemson, RB: At 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, he would be a replacement for Devonta Freeman if the team elects to part ways. He entered the 2019 bowl season with 493 career carries for 3,924 yards (8.0 avg.) with a school- and ACC-record 54 touchdowns plus 46 career receptions for 433 yards and four receiving touchdowns in 41 career games (28 starts).

Article by D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.