The Falcons have signed five draft picks from their 2014 class, the team announced on its website. LB Prince Shembo (fourth round), CB Ricardo Allen (fifth round), LB Marcus Spruill (fifth round), LB Yawin Smallwood (seventh round), and LB Tyler Starr (seventh round) are now all under contract with Atlanta.
The five picks indicate a concerted effort by the Falcons to improve their defense, which graded as the fourth-worst unit by DVOA. While these Day 3 selections aren’t likely to have a significant impact on the team’s successes, they could add depth to an Atlanta defense that proved to be extremely thin in 2013. Atlanta still has four picks left to sign, including first-rounder Jake Matthews and second-rounder Ra’Shede Hageman.