Falcons Draft Combine Interviews: Who'd Atlanta Meet?

Live from the NFL Combine, here's a look at many of the names the Atlanta Falcons have met with during the pre-draft process.
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INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL Scouting Combine presents teams with an opportunity to formally meet with top prospects - and the Atlanta Falcons did exactly that.

Here's a look at the reported interviews Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Raheem Morris and the rest of the staff held in Indianapolis, along with quotes from the players, when applicable ...

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot meets with media at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot meets with media at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine / Daniel Flick, SI Falcon Report

Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC

"If they trade up," Williams said, "I'll be there."

Drake Maye, Quarterback, North Carolina

"Atlanta, I was really impressed," Maye said. "TJ Yates, North Carolina guy, is the quarterback coach. That was my first interview of the Combine, so they made it easy being with a North Carolina guy. Coach Morris, congratulated him, he's a new head coach. So, I thought Atlanta went well."

Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU

"Atlanta, what they're doing over there, Raheem and all those guys, getting a new regime in there and being able to go out there - I love Atlanta," Daniels told SI's Falcon Report. "Atlanta is a great city. They have some weapons on the offensive side of the ball and they're on the up and up."

'I Love Atlanta': Meet LSU's Daniels, Falcons' Top Draft Target

Michael Penix Jr., Quarterback, Washington

"I felt like it was great," Penix said. "I felt like it was a really good meeting. They asked me some tough questions. Also just trying to get to know me. I feel like that was a very good meeting and I was excited going into it."

Spencer Rattler, Quarterback, South Carolina

"I had some great talks with the Falcons," Rattler said.

Kimari Vidal, Running Back, Troy

"It was good," Vidal said. "You know, it really wasn't too in depth. It was more so just introductory things and stuff like that."

Vidal, a native of Marietta, Georgia, met with the Falcons at both the Reese's Senior Bowl and NFL Combine and is excited about the possibility of playing for his local team.

"It would mean a lot to me being back at home," Vidal said. "I would love to play back home."

AD Mitchell, Receiver, Texas

"It was good," Mitchell said. "It was cool. I enjoyed talking to the coaches. It was cool."

Mitchell had a noticeable smile and laughed during his answer; he appeared pleased with how the meeting went and his words followed.

Dallas Turner, Edge Defender, Alabama:

"The meeting with the Falcons was great," Turner said. "I got a good conversation with the coaches. We got to know each other more personally. It was a good experience overall."

Laiatu Latu, Edge Defender, UCLA

"It went great," Latu said. "We just watched my film a little bit, critiqued some things I could fix and then went over some of my good plays, just walking them through techniques and stuff like that."

Atlanta was Latu's first meeting at the Combine.

Quinyon Mitchell, Cornerback, Toledo:

"It went good," Mitchell said. "Went in, just talked a little about background and then it was mostly just football. So, it went good."

Nate Wiggins, Cornerback, Clemson

"It was a great conversation," Wiggins said with a smile. "They’re hometown."

Wiggins, an Atlanta native who played at Westlake High School, would cherish the opportunity to play at home.

"It would mean a lot," Wiggins said. "It would be a miracle playing for the hometown, showing love for the hometown. That’d be love."

Kamari Lassiter, Cornerback, Georgia

"It was fun," said Lassiter, a native of Savannah, Georgia.

Other Formals

- Jared Verse, defensive end, Florida State

- Byron Murphy, defensive tackle, Texas

- Bralen Trace, defensive end, Washington

- Marshawn Kneeland, defensive end, Western Michigan

- Kris Abrams-Draine, cornerback, Missouri

Additional Falcons Meetings - Informal

- Virginia receiver Malik Washington met with a few Falcons scouts

- Auburn cornerback Jaylin Simpson met twice with the Falcons at the Reese's Senior Bowl

Falcons Have 'Wonderful' Interviews with Prospect Jaylin Simpson

- Marcellas Dial, cornerback, South Carolina

- Cole Bishop, safety, Utah

- Justin Eboigbe, defensive end, Alabama

- Khalid Duke, defensive end, Kansas State


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Daniel Flick
DANIEL FLICK

Daniel Flick is an accredited NFL writer for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Daniel has provided boots-on-ground coverage at the NFL Combine and from the Atlanta Falcons' headquarters, among other destinations, and contributed to the annual Lindy's Sports Magazine ahead of the 2023 offseason. Daniel is a co-host on the 404TheFalcon podcast and previously wrote for the Around the Block Network and Georgia Sports Hospitality Media.