2017 NFL Draft: Atlanta Falcons 7-round mock
By John Buhler
Fourth Round
John Johnson
Safety, Boston College Eagles
Atlanta’s defense is getting better by the week. It improved drastically down the stretch in year two of the Dan Quinn era in Flowery Branch. One could argue that Atlanta’s secondary may be the best layer of the Falcons defense, but it could use a piece or two heading into this fall.
The Falcons have three sure things in its defensive backfield in cornerbacks Desmond Trufant, Robert Alford and safety Keanu Neal. Jalen Collins has had his moments at corner, Ricardo Allen is a great ballhawk at free safety, and both Brian Poole and Kemal Ishmael do a bit of everything.
That being said, complacency will ruin the Falcons secondary. Adding in a seasoned college player like Boston College Eagles safety John Johnson into the mix could be good for Marquand Manuel’s defense. This will be the first season Manuel is Atlanta’s defensive coordinator. He had been the secondary coach for Atlanta last season.
Safety is the weaker of the two position groups in Atlanta’s defensive backfield. Neal looks to be a stud, but it’s all about the amount of creative looks the Falcons can put together in the secondary. It will be hard for Johnson to get playing time in Atlanta as a rookie, but he will get better by playing in that on-the-rise Falcons secondary.