These are the names being associated with the Falcons pick

[coachx]

The 3 names I'm hearing the most in regards to the Falcons are Pettigrew, English, and Sintim......according to former NFL GM's Casserly and Loghmbardi who have contacts in the league. (From Monday's NFL Networks Path To The Draft show.)

A lot of guys project English as a 3-4 OLB. I like him as a 4-3 defensive end (which he played in college). He is bigger then John Abraham was coming out of college. He is just a naturally gifted pass rusher who could make an immediate impact. He could play 3rd down as a OLB if he only has to blitz. He was unstoppbale in Senior Bowl pass rushing drills both standing up and in the 3 point stance off the line.

Sintim has alwayse played OLB in a 3-4. Projecting him into a 4-3 is tough. That is why I'm shying away from his as our 1st round pick.

Pettigrew is a stud TE. Great hands and a great blocking TE.....just a step slow.

Out of these 3 guys I'd prefer English and then snag a TE in the 2nd or 3rd round.

This way if Abraham gets banged up we have a security blanket. While Abe is healthy we have the luxury of having 2 pass rushing DE's on either on passing downs. Or we could line up English as a OLB on obvious passing downs....could you imagine both Abrham and Englilsh on the same side to rush the passer ?

What better guy is there to tutor English as a undersized pass rushing DE then Abraham.

Edited April 21, 2009 by coachx

[DrReality]

I like the versatility of a guy like English. That makes a lot of sense, like a page out of the Hawks playbook. But I also wonder about having huge guy to take Jackson's place to stuff the run?

[coachx]

I like the versatility of a guy like English. That makes a lot of sense, like a page out of the Hawks playbook. But I also wonder about having huge guy to take Jackson's place to stuff the run?

Me too but Raji is the only pure NT worth a #1. Jerry and Hood are too small for that role. Brace is not godd enough to be a first round draft pick.

[frosgrim]

I expect the Falcons will trade out of the first round completely and pick up another, high second rounder and a third rounder.

There will be guys in the top of the second that are no different from the guys at the bottom of the 1st. E.g. you can get Hood and say, Stintim, in the second.

[mattlanta]

These names have been associated with the Falcons for quite some time now, no surprise here. I still think we go with Pettigrew if he's on the board no matter what.

[coachx]

These names have been associated with the Falcons for quite some time now, no surprise here. I still think we go with Pettigrew if he's on the board no matter what.

Ya, but we have heard about 20 names linked to the Falcons. When a former GM with 20 years expierence and loads of contacts as the former Redskins and Texans GM says he is hearing these 3 names liked to the Falcons, it just kind of narrows it down a bit for us. This dude built the teams that allowed Joe Gibbs to be Joe Gibbs. He also decided not to draft consensus #1 pick at the time, Reggie Bush, and took the DE, Williams instead. That has turned out quite well. dude knows his stuff.

Of course TD loves to blow smoke. Last night on NFL Network they went into the Falcons draft room with Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff, and the President and VP of Player Personell, and the Head of College Scouting. They touched on several things and some were straight up smoke screens:

1. They spoke of how everyone in the room needs to take a close look at the top 7 to 8 WR's. A sheet of their comparables was to be distributed by the Head of College Scouting.

2. It seems TD narrows the prospect list down to select people and the coaches then gives evaluations only on the pool of players TD narrowed down for them. Mike Smith said this really helped to expedite the process of coaches evaluations since they do not waist time on guys the scouts have already written off..

3. They said they spent alot of money on offense last year and said they will not turn down offensive talent if its the best talent left on the board. The head of college scouting went on to say that is important that they give Matt Ryan plenty of options on offense for him to reach his potential. (Could all be true or just a big smoke screen)

4. The Head of Player Personell told GM TD they had a list of players he wanted to take of the board due to character issues but needed TD's final approval to remove them from the draft board. TD seemed to stand behind him on this but no details were given as far as who they were.

After that Jamie Dukes quickly said....Whats with the WR talk ? That is a major smoke screen right there.

[DrReality]

They interviewed Ziggy Hood on the radio and he's got a great personality. Reminded me of the DT from Fla State. High energy, positive, hard worker, but has not tested positive for pot.

[Hawk88]

Ya, but we have heard about 20 names linked to the Falcons. When a former GM with 20 years expierence and loads of contacts as the former Redskins and Texans GM says he is hearing these 3 names liked to the Falcons, it just kind of narrows it down a bit for us. This dude built the teams that allowed Joe Gibbs to be Joe Gibbs. He also decided not to draft consensus #1 pick at the time, Reggie Bush, and took the DE, Williams instead. That has turned out quite well. dude knows his stuff.

Of course TD loves to blow smoke. Last night on NFL Network they went into the Falcons draft room with Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff, and the President and VP of Player Personell, and the Head of College Scouting. They touched on several things and some were straight up smoke screens:

1. They spoke of how everyone in the room needs to take a close look at the top 7 to 8 WR's. A sheet of their comparables was to be distributed by the Head of College Scouting.

2. It seems TD narrows the prospect list down to select people and the coaches then gives evaluations only on the pool of players TD narrowed down for them. Mike Smith said this really helped to expedite the process of coaches evaluations since they do not waist time on guys the scouts have already written off..

3. They said they spent alot of money on offense last year and said they will not turn down offensive talent if its the best talent left on the board. The head of college scouting went on to say that is important that they give Matt Ryan plenty of options on offense for him to reach his potential. (Could all be true or just a big smoke screen)

4. The Head of Player Personell told GM TD they had a list of players he wanted to take of the board due to character issues but needed TD's final approval to remove them from the draft board. TD seemed to stand behind him on this but no details were given as far as who they were.

After that Jamie Dukes quickly said....Whats with the WR talk ? That is a major smoke screen right there.

I think I really like Ron Brace of BC. The guy is an anchor and can really clog up the middle. Should contribute from day 1. Next we need a stud OLB taking the best available. I think these should be our priority.

Hawk88

[DrReality]

Jerry from Ole Miss. Great pick.

Edited April 25, 2009 by DrReality

[Diesel]

Jerry from Ole Miss. Great pick.

I guess putting more pressure on the QB will really help the CBs... that and stopping the run!!!

[mattlanta]

Peria Jerry is a Dimitroff type of player. I like the pick.

[TroyMcClure]

Jerry from Ole Miss. Great pick.

I could not be happier. How about the Lions, though. Very nice getting Pettigrew and Stafford. That could be a combo for the next decade. It would not surprise me if they won 6 or 7 games next year.

[DrReality]

I could not be happier. How about the Lions, though. Very nice getting Pettigrew and Stafford. That could be a combo for the next decade. It would not surprise me if they won 6 or 7 games next year.

To go along with Calvin Johnson. That could be a great trio/.

[mattlanta]

The draft isn't over. Detroit can also get Michael Johnson who I think they should get. (I was one of the first people to call MJ falling out of the first round btw in October. I didn't think he'd fall out of the second).

Read my thoughts on the first day of the draft in this site:

www.falcfans.com/blog

[coachx]

Jerry from Ole Miss. Great pick.

Good pick that fills the position of upmost need. I definately see it as a need pick. You guys have heard me talk about my thoughts that neither Perry nor Hood were the perfect compliments to Babbineax since they both share his same strengths and weaknesses. Hopefully Trey Lewis can be healthy to plug the run and Jerry can keep every one fresh and get after the passer.

On 3rd downs we will play Abe, Jerry, Babbs, and either Davis or Bierriman. That is a 4 man front that can pin their ears back and get after the passer (without having to blitz a 5th rusher). Not to mention our 4th round pick, Lawrence Sidbury, who is a pass rush specialist for 3rd downs to add competition to Davis and Bierriman. (J Anderson and T. Lewis will be in on run downs.)

The only thing that worries me on Jerry is the fact he will be 25 when we play our first game which kind of limits the upside. I like his play on the field more then Hood but not his age. That being said, I would have let his play on the field trumph the age thing as well.

Of course I'm really worried after we took Matt Ryan so I am hopeful this pick goes in the same direction.

I loved the Moore pick in the 2nd and really hope that S.D. State CB (Owens) can be a cover corner one day. Sidbury in the 4th seemed like a really good pick too. He san be used in special situations to ruch the passer. His size and speed cannot be taught.

What about the corner from Furman in round 5 ? There were still some good guys on the board like Duke Robinson and we took a CB from Furman ! They must really like that Furman kid. I am also interested to see what the OL out of UNC has to offer.

Walker / DT / Georgia Tech was a 7th round steal. I am a UGA guy but saw plenty of Walker over the years and really liked him. I thought he was a better player then UGA's Cory Irvin ( DT ) who went in the 4th round to the Panthers. In senior bowl workouts these two buddied up. Walker alwayse went first in drills and Irvin would go after him. You could tell Walker was the "lead dog" to Irvin and looked better then Irvin in all of the one on one drills.

Edited April 27, 2009 by coachx

[frosgrim]

I was in the Dorsey camp last year as well, so I get where your coming from CoachX

I like the draft. I thought they would go LB at somepoint but never really did. I have no eye for CBs, so I leave that evaluation to those who actually can judge those guys.

The age issue with Jerry is of some concern, but I heard an addage somewhere that it takes 4 years for an interior lineman to develop in the NFL. So maybe Jerry has knocked a year or two off that developmental curve?

Hope Moore becomes that punisher that the Falcons desperately need on defense.

Glad that they picked up a RT in the draft as well. I would really like to see Clabo moved inside and Dahl to the bench. Doubt that happens this upcoming season, but maybe in 2010.

In all TD drafted a bunch of blue-collar, work until the drop guys to the team. That can only be a good thing. Too many prima donas in the Falcons checkered history. Now its time to have a bunch of hungery, team first dudes lining it up on Sundays.

So does the defense look this way?

LE- Zombie 98

DT- Babs

NT- Jerry

RE- Abe

SAM- Peterson

MIKE- Lofton

WIL- Nichols

LCB- Hutchins

FS- Coleman

SS- Moore

RCB- Houston

5-back- Jackson

So, where does Owens fit?

If I'm Houston, I'm worried about my job. Either Chevis of Owens could be there to take my place. IMO, Hutchins is probably assured of a starting job unless he just bombs.

[coachx]

5-back- Jackson

So, where does Owens fit?

If I'm Houston, I'm worried about my job. Either Chevis of Owens could be there to take my place. IMO, Hutchins is probably assured of a starting job unless he just bombs.

Good projections.

The CB spots are all up for grabs, I would hope. I am not close to sold on Houston. Dude, has to develop some ball skills. I wish I could say "better" ball skills but to get better there must be some skill there to start with................that may be a bit a harsh but if he is our #1 corner we are in trouble. Remember the Panther s game before we got Foxworth ? That was ugly wih Grimes and Houston out there.

Houston, Jackson, Hutchins, Grimes, Irons, Ownes, the Furman kid who runs a 4.42.............may the best men win is all I can say. With healthy competition someone will have to earn the Falcons trust.

Should be interesting competition at SS as well. DeCoude and Moore should be going at it.

Will OLB - May the best man win.......Wire / Nichols....Lawrence Sidbury may come in on pass rush situations.

DT - Babbineaux will likely start since he led the D-Line in snaps played last year by a very wide margin. Not sure if Jerry or T. Lewis is the better compliment at Nose Tackle. T. Lewis is the better run stuffer. If nothing else they will have a nice 4 man rotation with Moorhead thrown in the mix.

Left End - Jamal Anderson may get the start since he is a pretty good run stuffer and our interior tacklles are pretty small. Davis, Bierrman, and Sidbury will all be right there to push him.

Time for Smith and VanGorder to coach em' up on defense !

[DrReality]

Competition is a good thing. Love the depth chart they are bui,lding and heard someone on TV say that is how you take the next step . . . . . to have depth.

Smith is building his kind of defense and I love it. And TG will help the defense too.

[DrReality]

Falcons’ draft hits 3 out of 4

Except at linebacker, defense shored up: Linemen, secondary personnel selected to address vital needs

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

FLOWERY BRANCH —- Now that NFL draft picks have finished giving their obligatory hugs, it’s time to analyze the Falcons’ performance.

After snagging future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez two days before the draft in a trade with Kansas City, the Falcons sharply turned their focus to defense. They stuck to their plan and used seven of their eight picks on that side of the ball.

They did take an offensive tackle late, perhaps to keep offensive line coach Paul Boudreau from throwing a flat screen out the window.

The master plan was to improve the team in four areas: defensive line, linebacker, safety and cornerback.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff felt they were able to accomplish three of the four objectives. Here’s look at how the Falcons graded out addressing their needs:

Defensive line

Three linemen were drafted, including two tackles and one end.

Peria Jerry (first round) and Georgia Tech’s Vance Walker (seventh round) add bulk and quickness to the interior defense. Jerry will be expected to start immediately and hold his own alongside Jonathan Babineaux. Walker will have to make the team and fight for a spot in the rotation.

Defensive end Lawrence Sidbury (fourth round) has a lot of potential but is raw.

“We feel that under the tutelage of [defensive line coach] Ray Hamilton that he’s going to blossom for us,” Dimitroff said. “We were surprised to get him there in the fourth round.”

GRADE: A. Jerry was a steal at No. 24. It’s going to be interesting to watch Sidbury develop.

Cornerback

All of a sudden, it’s awfully crowded in the cornerback meeting room with the selection of Chris Owens (third) and William Middleton (fifth round).

“We want competition going into training camp,” Dimitroff said. “Our feelings are that the more competition and the more speed, the better.”

GRADE: C-minus. Both rookies are fast but on the small side. They’ll struggle against big receivers.

Safety

In William Moore (second round), the Falcons hope they have a big hitter who also has coverage skills.

“William is more of a strong safety, given his size and ability to come up and light up the ball carrier,” Dimitroff said. “But he also has the range and he has more versatility… . We really believe he has the ability to be in the deep part of the football field. There is some versatility there.”

GRADE: A. Moore has Pro Bowl potential.

Linebacker

The Falcons drafted Spencer Adkins (sixth round), but he was a backup for most of his career at Miami. He might have a tough time even making the team.

The Falcons did have a linebacker in the mix for the 24th pick, but when USC’s Brian Cushing went to Texas at No. 15, the focus shifted back to Jerry.

GRADE: C. Adkins didn’t start. What about getting productive college players?

Overall

Looks like the Falcons got two starters, Jerry and Moore. The corners probably will be nickel guys who can cover little, quick slot receivers. Sidbury might be the steal of the draft for the Falcons. The linebacker pick was puzzling in that Adkins, while fast, couldn’t stay on the field for some bad Miami teams.

GRADE: B-minus.