NFL Draft: Falcons Doing 'Due Diligence' on OL Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson Jr.

The Atlanta Falcons are keeping an eye on the top offensive lineman prospects in the NFL Draft.

Many expect the Atlanta Falcons to take a defensive player when they are on the clock with the No. 8 pick in this month's NFL Draft.

Cornerback and pass rush are two glaring needs and there should be players on the board that match the value that would be home-run picks if the Falcons took them.

"Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot have been very clear that they want to add depth to (the defensive line), they want it to be a versatile group, they want it to be an aggressive group," NFL Network says. "Getting any other player up there to get after the quarterback is extremely important."

The Falcons have just 39 sacks in the past two seasons, 23 less than the Las Vegas Raiders, who have the second-lowest amount in that span.

Despite the need for a pass rusher, don't rule out the opportunity for them to take an offensive player. While quarterback remains a possibility, it's an extreme stretch, especially if all the top signal-callers are off the board by No. 8. Should the team take offense, a lineman could make sense for the Falcons.

"But also look the other side of the line, and I know that they have their offensive line pretty much put together, but my understanding is that they're still looking at offensive lineman," NFL Network says. "And maybe you can have a guy that plays guard now, which is a need for them, and then slides out to tackle."

When the Falcons are on the clock at No. 8, there could be one or two players that make sense with that pick that aren't reaches. With starting left guard Elijah Wilkinson signing with the Arizona Cardinals, there's an immediate need for someone to fill that position, and two Big Ten standouts could be the pick.

"Could it be Peter Skoronski, who can probably slide in to play guard and eventually be a tackle for the next decade for your team? Could it be Paris Johnson Jr., a guy that played guard at Ohio State and then moved out to the left tackle spot? I know they're doing their due diligence there as well because you can never have too many guys in the trenches," NFL Network says. "They're in a good spot on their offensive line, but could they possibly improve that even further now and in the long term? That's something they're looking at."

The Falcons are in a position with multiple needs at cornerback, offensive line and defensive line that they can take the best player available on their board with the No. 8 pick.

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You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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