FalcFans Forums

I have been pondering draft picks for the falcon's and I know we are not even done with the college season but I was bored and tohught it would be intersting if members posted a potential draft of the falcon's.Players will go up and down the board because of workouts but just for fun see what other members think.

First here are the rules do not pick an offensive linemen till the 3rd round since Gibbs like's his linemen a little later.Second if any of these players were available they would be an easy choice but I am considering them picked by another team meaning do not pick these players for your draft in a worse case scenario.Thomas Davis(safety),Matt Roth(Def end)Erasmus James(Def end),in additon the obvious picks Leinhart,Cadillac williams,ronnie brown,Braylon Edwards,Mike williams,David Pollack etc etc.....I should also mention that when you pick your selections pick the players who mckay and the falcons are most likely to pick not what you want the falcon's to do.

1.Donte Nicholson(safety) -choices Mark Clayton,Donte Nicholson,Marcus Spears,Dan Cody,Deangelo Williams,Shawn Cody or whoever else you may think worthy
I am going to have a real tough time passing on Deangelo Williams he looked great before his injury but considering the falcon's def backfield problems I think Mckay will pick Donte Nicholson. I hate passing on Mark Clayton and he is my second choice the kinds of good route runner with good speed the falcon's need but I think Jenkins and the fact that the offensive line will be better getting some free agents and gibbs linemen reason did not go for clayton.Also Mckay likes hard hitting safeties and Nicholson can play either strong or free safety.
2. Justin Tuck - def end choices still on the board Haloti Ngata,Mike Patterson,Eric Green,JJ Arrington ,Barret Rudd or other players you may feel still on board..I did not go def tackle here mainly from reading the ESPN article you can get def tackles later in draft.Since I can't pick an offensive lineman because of the Gibbs issue I went with a def end to get to the QB.Tuck is the leading sacker in Notre Dame history which is interesting.Barrett Rudd was my second choice but if Demarrio Williams moves to inside linebacker then Rudd would not make sense.
3.Khalif Barnes off tackle
4.Mike Patterson(def Tackle) - not as big as I would like but this guy is all over the field ala Ed Jasper
4.Nick Kaczur -(off tackle,guard) just the type Gibbs likes mean streak,athletic,and smallish
5.Donovan Raiola - center centers usually are picked lower in the draft and since the falcon's need to upgrade perhaps Raiola could give Mclure some competiion.Comes from a quality program in wisconsin
6.??
7.??


4.

The strict rules make this a bit more interesting

Also I want to point out that I think there's a good chance a player like Roth will be available when the Falcons pick, since in the past 8 drafts, only twice has 4 DEs gone in the Top 25 picks. In 2002, it was Peppers (#2), Freeney (#11), Bryan Thomas (#18), and Charles Grant (#25). In '03, it was Suggs (#10), Haynes (#14), McDougle (#15), and Pace (#18). Yes, I realize that those 2 occurrences were in the past 3 drafts, but I think considering that had not happened since 1997, shows that it is not very common. And the 4 DEs from this year's class that I'm looking at are Roth, James, Pollack, and Kiwanuka, who I believe will come out this year. Roth I think is the consensus #4 guy among those guys, and I think considering the Falcons will probably be picking around pick #25, I think there's a good chance that he will fall the far. Also consider that in the previous "abberations" both Thomas and Pace were considered reaches when they were selected.

Why am I making this point, because the earliest McKay has ever picked a DB (excluding Hall) was in Round 2 of the draft, Brian Kelly in '98, and Melvin Johnson in '95. He usually goes DBs in Round 3 and after. That's why although it's a possibility, I don't think we go DB in Round 1. Unless of course a guy like Thoams Davis is there.

So in the 9 years that McKay ran things in Tampa, and out of the 9 first round picks he had, he picked a D-lineman 4 times. That's why I'm making this case for Roth because I believe McKay will take the best DE on the board in Round 1.

So that's why I'm starting this off with:

1. DE Matt Roth, Iowa. I know it breaks the rule, and I could just as easily go with a guy like Spears or Dan Cody, but I think if Spears came to ATL he would be moved inside. And right now, I don't really think Cody is first round material. High second round, but I don't think he's quite entrenched himself in the first round as of yet.

2. SS Jamaal Brimmer, UNLV. They are saying Brimmer is a tough run stopper in the secondary, and one person compared him to Ronnie Lott, which is what I think this defense is looking for back there.

3. OT Khalif Barnes, Washington. From what I'm hearing, he's a quick athlete with a mean streak, which is exactly what Gibbs wants on the outside. He's the LT of the future.

4. DT Lorenzo Alexander, California. He's a disruptor that reminds me a lot of Lavalais, and considering the age and wear and tear our DTs suffered this past year, we need the help.

4b (from Broncos) RB Walter Reyes, Syracuse. I was a little disappointed I didn't get to see a lot of Reyes this season, but from what I've read/heard and the little I've seen, he sounds/looks like a good complement to Duckett down the road.

5. CB Antwaun Rogers, Purdue. Tall and skinny, but he has upside.

That's it for now.

Interesting picks Pudge I can see those players going where you mentioned.I have also heard that Jammal Brimmer could be a Ronnie Lott type.I don't necessarily like taking a safety in the first so I was hesitate.Also considering that no off linemen can not be taken till the 3rd and the 4 def ends you mentioned were gone and the lack of safety plus taking Jenkins last year led me to the safety.I am going to watch the oklamoma/usc game to see how nicholson does.

1.Matt roth - I agree completely if he or any of the def ends you mentioned are on the board I would take them.I also mentioned about Thomas Davis being off the board but I feel you probably also consider a safety in first not worthy.
2.Brimmer -I understand the pick and the falcon's need help at def back,keep an eye out for justin tuck even though notre dame has not done well lately he is a sleeper.
3.Barnes - we agree on
4.Alexander - I read up on him and he can shut the run down but lacks pass rush ability.I take it we get that from the def ends Roth and Kerney,plus we are grooming alexander since jasper and coleman still around.I doubt Mike patterson slips this far but alot of teams like the beefy def tackles so possibly he may slide.Would be a steal if taken in the 4th.
4.Reyes - read up on him has alot of speed and good hands.Not sure if he can block but getting a guy that can run and have break away speed in the 4th is a steal.Look at what the vikings have done got Moore and Onterrio Smith in the 4th.I would hpe the kid from oregon I mentioned will be available but he will be long gone.The off tackle/guard from toldeo would be a great pick here also.
5.Antwuan Rogers - he may slide due to his light weight but purdue has been producing NFL players lately and I would not mind this pick.Corners are hard to find and Rogers could be a steal.

I can justify all these picks Pudge however since the falcon offensive line is so weak and free agency won't solve all problems I would like 2 offensive linemen from this draft.I understand we have holes but keeping Vick healthy is no1 priority.His health affects offense and the defense.Should be fun and alot will change now to draft time.I hope we are right on a few of our picks.

I realized you mentioned Thomas Davis possibilty in 1st .Davis better be near ronnie lott status if we take him over roth.

O-line could be a first round option, if Oklahoma's Jammal Brown slips to us, since I'm hearing a lot of people saying he would be a perfect fit for us at RT. And UVA's D'Brickashaw Ferguson sounds like he's an even more perfect fit at LT for us.

We shall see. The rhetoric is that Gibbs doesn't like high round picks, but the bottom line is that if he sees a good fit for his unit, he will make the move since so many of those Broncos players were chosen in Round 2 or 3.

But have you noticed something about the types of players Gibbs likes. I mentioned in another post that Gibbs likes intelligent guys. I think it's interesting that the team has picked up former centers since training camp: Austin King, Dave Pearson, and Mike Mabry, and trying to play them at other positions besides center. That is something that has been a trend with Gibbs since his Denver days. A lot of those guys there had played multiple positions in college, with center being one of them. I'm just interested by that. In January and early Feb when we pick up free agents to bring to camp, it will be interesting to see if we add some more "ex-centers" and try them at "new" positions...

The rules do indeed make this interesting....

Before I begin I would say I would try to trade up to get the DE from Boston College or James. I would involve Duckett in a potential trade.

Now to abide by the rules...

1) I look at defensive line....Spears or Hawthorne would be my selection.
2) The best back available that fits Gibb's style i.e. a cutback, slashing type of runner with good feet and vision. Must also have good speed and burst.
3) Khalif Barnes if available, no question
4) Hopefully a corner or "sam" backer slides....take him.