The Atlanta Falcons announced today that they have named Lionel Vital, who has spent the last three years in the Ravens’ front office, the assistant director of player personnel.

It’s the latest in a series of front-office changes the Falcons have made since the disastrous 2007 season. The most significant change was Thomas Dimitroff replacing Rich McKay as general manager; more recently the Falcons hired David Caldwell as director of college scouting.

As Baltimore’s national scout, Vital is credited for playing a big part in the Ravens’ personnel moves, including the decision to draft safety Dawan Landry in the fifth round in 2006.

Last year Vital was given the inaugural Fritz Pollard Alliance Scouting Award, which goes to the top African-American scout in the NFL.

From 2000 to 2004, Vital was the Patriots’ assistant director of college scouting, where he worked closely with Dimitroff. He has also worked as a scout for the Jets, and he played running back for the Redskins in 1987.