Falcons First Four Picks (1 Viewer)

[SmokeScreen]

I think the Falcons had a very nice draft. They filled needs and got Best Players Available, in the process.

Jerry will be a day one starter and an impact player they needed at DT. Very nice fit for the 3 technique.

William Moore, was considered the best safety in the draft by some people. I had him in my top 3 and to get him late in the second was right about where he should have gone. Moore has a ton of upside if he can stay healthy.

Chris Owens can play man or zone. He is very aggressive and should make an immediate impact for the Falcons in the nickel and might even win an outside starting job on day one. I consider starting at nickel being a starter, because so many teams line up in three wide sets.

Lawrence Sidberry can be the steal of this entire draft. He has a very impressive spin move that mimics one of Freeney. His technique will need some work, but the skill is there to flourish in the 4-3.

The bottom line is if you can find starters in the first four rounds then you are doing an excellent job and I believe the Falcons have found just that. All have the potential to start on opening day.

Falcons get an A in my book.

 

[PatrickT]

I'm pretty happy with it, although I'm a little disappointed they couldn't find an OLB worthy of a 3rd rounder, I think it's a bigger need.

Moore was a real steal as far as I can tell, most things I ready put in the top 15 last year, or at least 1st round, but he took a dip due to some injuries that don't sound like they'd be really impactful long-term. Getting 1st round talent in the late 2nd, you gotta like that, Moore will likely start day 1.

 

[saintfool]

I think the Falcons had a very nice draft. They filled needs and got Best Players Available, in the process.

Jerry will be a day one starter and an impact player they needed at DT. Very nice fit for the 3 technique.

William Moore, was considered the best safety in the draft by some people. I had him in my top 3 and to get him late in the second was right about where he should have gone. Moore has a ton of upside if he can stay healthy.

Chris Owens can play man or zone. He is very aggressive and should make an immediate impact for the Falcons in the nickel and might even win an outside starting job on day one. I consider starting at nickel being a starter, because so many teams line up in three wide sets.

Lawrence Sidberry can be the steal of this entire draft. He has a very impressive spin move that mimics one of Freeney. His technique will need some work, but the skill is there to flourish in the 4-3.

The bottom line is if you can find starters in the first four rounds then you are doing an excellent job and I believe the Falcons have found just that. All have the potential to start on opening day.

Falcons get an A in my book.

is he expected to start alongside Babineaux?

 

[Buckfast 1]

I agree. I haven't heard the Falcons' name thrown around too often in the discussion of the draft winners yet, but I think the Falcons did a great job of filling their immediate needs with potential big impact players.

I think the Falcons have to be very happy coming away with Jerry and Moore in the first two rounds. I also really like the Lawrence Sidbury selection in the 4th round.

Overall, I was very pleased with the Falcons' draft.

 

[T Man]

Will the Falcons jump in the Leroy Hill derby?

 

[Buckfast 1]

I think the Falcons had a very nice draft. They filled needs and got Best Players Available, in the process.

Jerry will be a day one starter and an impact player they needed at DT. Very nice fit for the 3 technique.

William Moore, was considered the best safety in the draft by some people. I had him in my top 3 and to get him late in the second was right about where he should have gone. Moore has a ton of upside if he can stay healthy.

Chris Owens can play man or zone. He is very aggressive and should make an immediate impact for the Falcons in the nickel and might even win an outside starting job on day one. I consider starting at nickel being a starter, because so many teams line up in three wide sets.

Lawrence Sidberry can be the steal of this entire draft. He has a very impressive spin move that mimics one of Freeney. His technique will need some work, but the skill is there to flourish in the 4-3.

The bottom line is if you can find starters in the first four rounds then you are doing an excellent job and I believe the Falcons have found just that. All have the potential to start on opening day.

Falcons get an A in my book.

is he expected to start alongside Babineaux?

As of now, I would expect Jerry to start alongside Babineaux.

 

[Biabreakable]

I might be wrong but I didn't see any other player who impressed me more than Jerry. To get him as late as the Falcons did was ridiculous.

Some of the other picks might be good too but I don't think it will matter if Jerry turns out to be as good as I think he will. Guys like him are ushualy top 15 picks.

 

[SmokeScreen]

I might be wrong but I didn't see any other player who impressed me more than Jerry. To get him as late as the Falcons did was ridiculous.Some of the other picks might be good too but I don't think it will matter if Jerry turns out to be as good as I think he will. Guys like him are ushualy top 15 picks.

I agree. I had Jerry ranked as the 16th best player in the draft. It took some interesting things to happen for him to fall to you guys.

 

[Buckfast 1]

Will the Falcons jump in the Leroy Hill derby?

I hope they do. Picking up Leroy Hill at weakside linebacker would fill the last glaring need in the Falcons' defense. As Patrick T stated, I was somewhat surprised that they didn't draft a LB until the 6th round, but I think signing Leroy Hill would be the ideal outcome for the Falcons. Hill is originally from Georgia and apparently grew up a Falcons fan and continues to cheer for them. However, Hill's contract demands could be a significant obstacle.

 

[SmokeScreen]

is he expected to start alongside Babineaux?

I would think that would be the plan.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

Will the Falcons jump in the Leroy Hill derby?

I hope they do. Picking up Leroy Hill at weakside linebacker would fill the last glaring need in the Falcons' defense. As Patrick T stated, I was somewhat surprised that they didn't draft a LB until the 6th round, but I think signing Leroy Hill would be the ideal outcome for the Falcons. Hill is originally from Georgia and apparently grew up a Falcons fan and continues to cheer for them. However, Hill's contract demands could be a significant obstacle.

I hope they do NOT! Mike Peterson while versatile enough to play either WLB or SLB, was signed to play WLB. So why would the Falcons sign another WLB?

 

[Buckfast 1]

Will the Falcons jump in the Leroy Hill derby?

I hope they do. Picking up Leroy Hill at weakside linebacker would fill the last glaring need in the Falcons' defense. As Patrick T stated, I was somewhat surprised that they didn't draft a LB until the 6th round, but I think signing Leroy Hill would be the ideal outcome for the Falcons. Hill is originally from Georgia and apparently grew up a Falcons fan and continues to cheer for them. However, Hill's contract demands could be a significant obstacle.

I hope they do NOT! Mike Peterson while versatile enough to play either WLB or SLB, was signed to play WLB. So why would the Falcons sign another WLB?

Although Peterson is capable of playing both, I was under the impression that Peterson is expected to start at strongside.

Peterson likely will start at the strongside linebacker spot vacated by the free-agency departure of Michael Boley to the New York Giants, although he could play weakside linebacker, which also is available because Keith Brooking signed with the Dallas Cowboys via free agency.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/03/09/falcons-ag...gs-lb-peterson/

• Outside linebacker. The recently signed Mike Peterson is 33 and looks like a player in decline. He's penciled in as the starter on the strong side, but he may be better suited to playing a versatile backup role. Coy Wire is the starter on the weak side after taking the job from Boley in the final month of the season. But Wire is a converted safety who may not be able to stand up to the pounding of a full season at linebacker. The Falcons should be in the market for a starter outside and a solid backup for Lofton.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=537270Peterson recently said that he can he can play all three linebacker spots and would fill whatever position Mike Smith needed him to fill.

I don't see a major problem with putting Peterson on the strongside and bringing in Hill to play weakside. The Falcons will probably be looking for a long-term replacement at strongside linebacker next season, but I think Peterson can certainly play strongside this year if they bring in Hill. Hill could be a long-term answer at the weakside spot, whereas Peterson is simply a year or two stop-gap option at the OLB position whether he's strongside or weakside. I don't see why the Peterson signing should in any way deter the Falcon's interest in Hill.

 

[B. Nugget]

As a Mizzou homer, I have to say that Willy Mo will be a fan favorite if he can come in healthy and do his thing. He got hurt in the 1st game of the season and never was fully healthy his senior year, and his stock dropped like a rock because he was playing hurt. One other thing to mention is that the Mizzou defense wasn't very good this year, but the D-Coordinator had Willy Mo playing up in the box instead of back in the secondary, which contributed to his rough year. Out of position and hurt is no way to finish up your career and head into the draft. Atlanta got a real player!

 

[Mark Wimer]

Moore was a real steal as far as I can tell, most things I ready put in the top 15 last year, or at least 1st round, but he took a dip due to some injuries that don't sound like they'd be really impactful long-term. Getting 1st round talent in the late 2nd, you gotta like that, Moore will likely start day 1.

This. Every player drafted in the first 4 has the potential to be an impact player in years 1-2. I'm thrilled that Atlanta addressed an area of need leading into the draft (TE Tony Gonzalez!) and then concentrated on D in the draft. Xactly the correct path, IMO.Ryan, Turner, White, Gonzalez... upgraded D in draft ... no complaints from Macon, GA as of 4/27/09