Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldenfleece
Ryan isn't a huge surprise to me. I had the Falcons about 50/50 between him and Dorsey with Glenn being the better prospect but franchise quarterback a difficult need to ignore.
I think Baker was a bit of a reach, but your scheme probably will be his best fit. I thought Lofton and DeCoud were both very good picks.
I'm curious what your thoughts are on WR Harry Douglas and the surprising order receivers were taken. Even in the middle of the third Mario Manningham, Andre Caldwell, and Lavelle Hawkins were on the table. I know our pick of Donnie Avery has been controversial. Are you guys having the same discussions about you could have had when Douglas was picked?
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Pre-draft, I desperately wanted the Falcons to take Glen Dorsey. I hoped and thought that you guys would "pass" on him and did not want to trade with the Rams. I did NOT want Matt Ryan because I was/am "unconvinced" that he will be a "franchise" QB. If he is simply an average QB then the pick was a waste. If Matt Ryan ends up being a pro-bowl/franchise type QB - then, looking back with hindsight - he will have obviously been the right pick. There is no question that QB is the premium position in the NFL and you cannot win consistently without one.
The "controversy" in the A-T-L right now is Dimitroff/Smith have been selling that the Falcons are going to rebuild on the line-of-scrimmage on the offensive and defensive lines and they took one player(Sam Baker) on the offensive line and exactly ZERO defensive linemen - and you had 11 picks.......very disappointing. At the newsconference, Dimitroff/Smith "spun it" by saying no defensive tackles were really worth a draft pick after Dorsey/Ellis were gone. They could have drafted Dre Moore with a 3rd rounder or Red Bryant with a 4th rounder - uggh! To me, the bigger misstep was not taking another offensive lineman like Carl Nicks or Roy Schuening - who you guys got in the 5th.
Oh well.......as far as Harry Douglas goes, that is controversial just simply from the standpoint of taking the position ahead of OL/DL. I don't know much about him other than he's small/fast and was highly productive at Louisville. He sounds like a 3rd down/slot WR type and he will probably be a kick returner as well.......
If I was Falcons, I would have been more aggressive trying to trade up to get Clady/Albert/Otah rather than Sam Baker. I do think Baker is a little "underrated" right now - he had a bad senior season due to some injuries. Dimitroff said anybody who thinks he would have lasted until our next pick at #34 is wrong - sure enough the Texans took Duane Brown-OT VT at pick #26......I'm OK with that pick - last year Sam Baker was projected to go in the top 10......he will be a good one.
Overall, I will give the Falcons draft a "B-". If Matt Ryan turns into a franchise QB - it will be an "A+" .