Happy NFL draft day folks!

[MaceCase]

Pretty marvelous draft for the Eagles so far.  Jordan Davis may primarily be a run stuffer but his athleticism suggests that there's potential there for some pass rush ability and it doesn't hurt that he's going to mentor underneath two of the best at it in Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave.  At worst he'll occupy multiple linemen freeing up the rushing DTs/Edges/LBs to have 1v1 matchups or free runs at the backfield.

Beef Jurgy is a Kelce clone almost down to the personality and will be another beneficiary of mentoring.  I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed watching a Center that can beat OTs to their spots on perimeter runs and can get as deep as the 3rd level laying out folks.

Nakobe Dean is great value no matter what and I can not tell you how long it's been since the Eagles invested this kind of value into LB.  That alone is enough to have me satisfied despite whatever red flags over his injuries.  Having Jordan Davis will continue to protect him in the run game and his pass coverage makes him an immediate upgrade and even strength in John Gannon's "bend but don't break too much" soft zones.

[Spud2nique]

7 hours ago, MaceCase said:

Pretty marvelous draft for the Eagles so far.  Jordan Davis may primarily be a run stuffer but his athleticism suggests that there's potential there for some pass rush ability and it doesn't hurt that he's going to mentor underneath two of the best at it in Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave.  At worst he'll occupy multiple linemen freeing up the rushing DTs/Edges/LBs to have 1v1 matchups or free runs at the backfield.

Beef Jurgy is a Kelce clone almost down to the personality and will be another beneficiary of mentoring.  I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed watching a Center that can beat OTs to their spots on perimeter runs and can get as deep as the 3rd level laying out folks.

Nakobe Dean is great value no matter what and I can not tell you how long it's been since the Eagles invested this kind of value into LB.  That alone is enough to have me satisfied despite whatever red flags over his injuries.  Having Jordan Davis will continue to protect him in the run game and his pass coverage makes him an immediate upgrade and even strength in John Gannon's "bend but don't break too much" soft zones.

Ya Jordan Davis and Dean seems like an A draft. Well done thus far. Davis under Cox is scary. It’s like if OO landed under Draymond in GS. I’d be worried. Sorry cross sport but that’s very scary.

So far the Jets, Eagles, Lions, Ravens (Hamilton; Ojabo), Packers (2 Georgia boys) JAX (Walker ;Muma) Falcons (London; Ridder) are winning the draft in my mind. Then again, it’s all a gamble.

[Gray Mule]

2 things that the Falcon thinking held high.  Players who had played more than one position.  They got this.  The other wish was for players who were rough and tough.  They believe they got this also.

A linebacker who played QB his first season, running back the next season and linebacker his last two season.  Also, since the Georgia Bulldogs had a pretty good season, two of their players are now Falcons.

All in all, a very good draft.  Every pick should play.  Even the QB!  He will get some minutes.

[jy23]

On 4/29/2022 at 2:44 AM, Spud2nique said:

I like the kid but NO! @JayBirdHawk @jy23 are we doing the megatron/Julio thing all over again? 

It was a bit of a reach but you may have gotten your Mike Evans type receiver to join Kyle Pitts. Double teams needed downfield soon.

I’m not necessarily mad about the player but I’m pissed about the process. 2 years in a row we have top 10 picks and we take 2 non premium positions. TE and WR. It takes a special level of not really giving a damn to do that. The 2 most unimpactful positions and we take em in the top 10 2 years in a row. Wow….just WOW. Not a trench player to be found. Can’t block to run the ball and can’t stop anybody else from running. Can’t protect our qb and damn sure can’t pressure anyone else’s. But hey we’ll damn sure have some nice weapons to throw to on those rare occasions that we get some protection. If nobody can tell this is pure sarcasm 

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, jy23 said:

I’m not necessarily mad about the player but I’m pissed about the process. 2 years in a row we have top 10 picks and we take 2 non premium positions. TE and WR.

Agreed here. At the beginning of my fanhood I loved the sexy positions but now understand you gotta build the trenches well.

 

1 hour ago, jy23 said:

Not a trench player to be found.

Yup

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, jy23 said:

If nobody can tell this is pure sarcasm 

Green font would help  

[Gray Mule]

Well, dang.  No inside players?  Falcons got 2 linebackers, an edge rusher, a blocking tight end and an offensive line man.  Wide reciever, running back and quarterback round out the draft.

I've saw grades from A to C+ on our picks.

Sarcasm or not, this is very accurate says some talking heads.  I like what we did.

[Dnice]

justin  Shaffer  out of Georgia is your offensive  guard.  the guy from Montana  st. could be a dpoy candidate and rack up tackles from the  mike lb.

[jy23]

On 5/1/2022 at 12:42 PM, Gray Mule said:

Well, dang.  No inside players?  Falcons got 2 linebackers, an edge rusher, a blocking tight end and an offensive line man.  Wide reciever, running back and quarterback round out the draft.

I've saw grades from A to C+ on our picks.

Sarcasm or not, this is very accurate says some talking heads.  I like what we did.

Gray again I’m not mad about the actual players, we got some good ones. It’s the thought process or lack there of that bothers me. 

[jy23]

18 hours ago, Dnice said:

justin  Shaffer  out of Georgia is your offensive  guard.  the guy from Montana  st. could be a dpoy candidate and rack up tackles from the  mike lb.

Schaffer will start at LG love that pick. Again my gripe is how 2 drafts in a row with top 10 picks we come away with not one foundational player. Not even the opportunity for a foundational player. Receivers and TEs are shiny ornaments. We needed a damn tree first 

[Gray Mule]

All parts must work together like a well-oiled machine if you are to have success.  Falcons were paper thin in the receiving department.  Some left.  One got suspended for a full year.  London fills a great need.

Last season's team was super weak in stopping the opposing QB from doing whatever he wanted to do.  This was another desperate need.  With a new edge rusher and two new linebackers added to the team, I feel better.

Two offensive linemen, one a tight end were added.  both fill another need.  Finally, with our departed QB leeving a big hole, Falcons signed what we all hope will be a very good replacement.  Then, to solidfy the position, a very good QB that led his team to the top four this year, undefeated in the regular season, was drafted.  He's a proven winner in college.

JY23, not everything can be fixed with this one draft.  Signing free agents, with payroll $$$ being so tight, will not solve all our problems either.  Falcons are one year away.  Lots of $$$$ payroll will be freed up next summer.  If we can survive one more season, watch out next season !!

[jy23]

6 hours ago, Gray Mule said:

All parts must work together like a well-oiled machine if you are to have success.  Falcons were paper thin in the receiving department.  Some left.  One got suspended for a full year.  London fills a great need.

Last season's team was super weak in stopping the opposing QB from doing whatever he wanted to do.  This was another desperate need.  With a new edge rusher and two new linebackers added to the team, I feel better.

Two offensive linemen, one a tight end were added.  both fill another need.  Finally, with our departed QB leeving a big hole, Falcons signed what we all hope will be a very good replacement.  Then, to solidfy the position, a very good QB that led his team to the top four this year, undefeated in the regular season, was drafted.  He's a proven winner in college.

JY23, not everything can be fixed with this one draft.  Signing free agents, with payroll $$$ being so tight, will not solve all our problems either.  Falcons are one year away.  Lots of $$$$ payroll will be freed up next summer.  If we can survive one more season, watch out next season !!

Again ALL of those things are true…it’s still true that we wasted two top 10 picks on non premium positions. I’ll never be ok with that. Receiver was a need for sure, it’s also the most plentiful position every year in the draft. You don’t need to spend a first round pick there. When was the last time the best receiver in the league won a ring? You don’t need a Calvin Johnson to win a ring you just need a group of capable guys. I’m looking at this from a draft capital perspective. Again it’s not about the actual players bc they could be great and I hope to god they will be but be smarter about the way we move. I’d much rather have a 5th year option on a tackle or pass rusher and not have to pay them big bucks so quickly opposed to having that 5th year on a TE or receiver. It’s just not the same 

[Gray Mule]

jy23:  Define premium position.

Falcon's defense.  Added 2 linebackers and an edge rusher.  Falcon's offense.  Added A running back, a quarterback, a guard and a big, blocking specialist tight end from the college championship team.  

On defense.  If you can't stop their QB, you are doomed.  On offense.  If you can't protect your QB and open holes for your runners, you are doomed.

Edited May 3, 2022 by Gray Mule

[jy23]

2 hours ago, Gray Mule said:

jy23:  Define premium position.

Falcon's defense.  Added 2 linebackers and an edge rusher.  Falcon's offense.  Added A running back, a quarterback, a guard and a big, blocking specialist tight end from the college championship team.  

On defense.  If you can't stop their QB, you are doomed.  On offense.  If you can't protect your QB and open holes for your runners, you are doomed.

Premium position would be QB, Edge rusher, tackle, or corner. If you have 2 top 10 picks in back to back to drafts you have to come away with at least one of those. Those are foundational pieces that you want to have control over for a longer period of time. 

[Gray Mule]

Premium positions pretty well covered.

QB - Falcons took the 2nd one drafted.

Edge Rusher - Falcons traded up to take the one they wanted @ # 38.

Tackle - Didn't get one but did get two players beside the tackle position - A guard and a tight end.

Corner - Falcons had already signed one in free agency.

Maybe they didn't come at the beginning of the draft, but they seem to be the players that the GM and head coach wanted.  Both said that they wanted some big old boys with a chip on their shoulder.  Maybe a tiny mean streak.

 

[jy23]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:13 PM, Gray Mule said:

Premium positions pretty well covered.

QB - Falcons took the 2nd one drafted.

Edge Rusher - Falcons traded up to take the one they wanted @ # 38.

Tackle - Didn't get one but did get two players beside the tackle position - A guard and a tight end.

Corner - Falcons had already signed one in free agency.

Maybe they didn't come at the beginning of the draft, but they seem to be the players that the GM and head coach wanted.  Both said that they wanted some big old boys with a chip on their shoulder.  Maybe a tiny mean streak.

 

Reason for taking premium players in the first round is the extra year of control that you have with the 5th year option. It saves you from worrying about free agency to early and also saves you massive money against the cap as those type of players are normally extremely expensive. Again I’m not mad about the players taken I’m bothered by that simple part of the process. May not seem like a big deal but things like that matter 

[Gray Mule]

LEST WE FORGET:  Sometimes we find an overlooked gem when we sign undrafted players.  Falcons have so many needs that it's entirely possible that more than one of the undrafted players that were signed make the team.  While the draft didn't go as some had planned, we must remember that several new players were signed to short "make good" contracts.

There's an old saying, "There's many a slip between the cup and the lip."  Not everyone signed as a free agent or as an undrafted player will still be around when the final cuts are made.  

Grady signed a new extension on his contract, taking a signing bonus which frees up enough $$$$ payroll to sign our draft picks and maybe an undrafted player or two.  Keeping him is a great move!

[Gray Mule]

Most overlooked player that Atlanta drafted?  I believe it's the very last one, John FitzPatrick, TE.  He's 6'7" and 250 lbs.  Starter for UGA, the champion college team.  Known for his blocking.  Falcons are known to run multiple TE sets and he fits right in.  He did actually catch a few passes.

Matty Ice was under constant pressure.  Blocking for our new QB is critical.  John fits right in here.  He might sneak in a reception or two along the way.  

Fixing the Falcons

[renzocapone]

I think it's not a bad draft for Atlanta. Not a bad draft pick for a successful season.