Falcons make surprise pick at No. 48 in Rotoballer mock draft

At this late hour in the draft season, surprises are rare - at least when it comes to mock drafts. Rotoballer has one in a new three-round mock, featuring an unexpected pick for the Atlanta Falcons at No. 48 overall in Round 2.

That's where Chris Gregory has the Falcons taking Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez instead of his teammate, defensive tackle Lee Hunter - the most popular mock pick for Atlanta at that spot.

"Atlanta lost Kaden Elliss in free agency and has done nothing to replace him, leaving interior linebacker as a major need. Rodriguez is undersized, but he tested well, is a strong finisher against the run, and shows range in coverage. This would be a good mix of need and fit for the Falcons."

Rodriguez (6-foot-1, 231 pounds) is a bit on the small size for a pro linebacker. However, he has some very strong athletic scoring, including a 38.5" vertical, a 10'1" broad jump and a 4.19 20-yard shuttle time. Overall, he earned a 9.23 RAS score.

His college production is equally impressive. In 44 games at Texas Tech, Rodriguez put up 138 combined tackles (25.5 for a loss) to go with six sacks, six interceptions, 12 pass breakups and a remarkable 13 forced fumbles.

With just six days to go before the draft begins, Rodriguez is projected to be taken in Round 2, at No. 45 overall on average.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez could be answer to Falcons' issue at LB