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Mock Draft 6.0: Wecolme to the ATL, Cushing

All that’s left is for the players to start flying off draft boards shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday. At slot 24, the Falcons can kick back, eat some turkey sandwiches, sip on some fruit juice and hope that the Houston Texans don’t pick their guy — USC linebacker Brian Cushing.

The Texans could change the Falcons’ plans. But after much debate, we’re projecting that our friends from H-town will select Florida State’s Everette Brown, leaving Cushing to fall to the Falcons.

Cushing has some issues. But that’s why he’ll be there at No. 24. When he comes in to meet the media on Sunday he’ll have to explain the steroid accusations that have followed him since high school and why he and teammate Clay Matthews Jr. allegedly formed a group called “White Nation” on Facebook.

Now if the Cushing scenario doesn’t unfold for the Falcons, that means another good defender — could be Brown or Penn State’s Aaron Maybin — is slipping. Also on the board for the Falcons will be Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English or Missouri defensive tackle Evander “Ziggy” Hood.

If none of the desirable defensive players slip through, look for the Falcons to trade out of the position and pick up more picks. They will need to land near the top of the second round so they could select Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas.

The Falcons’ trade for Tony Gonzalez has restructured the first round. There are going to be several other trades. Cleveland is trying to dump Braylon Edwards and possibly quarterback Brady Quinn. Washington and Denver may try to get in position to select quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Before the Gonzalez trade, University of Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno was headed to Philadelphia. The Falcons, in part suspecting that Philadelphia was going to take Oklahoma State tight Brandon Pettigrew with the 21st pick, went ahead and got the Gonzalez deal done.

It took Dimitroff and his buddy Scott Pioli all of three hours on Thursday to have a meeting of the former New England minds.

With the Eagles taking Pettigrew, Moreno will slip to Arizona, which has the 31st pick.

More on the Mock Draft later. . . .

COMMUNITY CORNER

Punter Michael Koenen hostted the sixth Annual Dream House Golf Classic on Thursday at the Olde Atlanta Golf Club in Suwanee, Georgia . Proceeds from the event will benefit local children’s charity, Dream House for Medically Fragile Children, Inc. . . .

LINK >> Mock Draft 6.0: Wecolme to the ATL, Cushing | Atlanta Falcons with D. Orlando Ledbetter

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