New Falcon era heads forward after 2008 Draft

After the horrendous 2007 season, the Atlanta Falcons look forward in adding new pieces to the new mix. New head coach Mike Smith and the new GM, Thomas Dimitroff, came together and picked 11 players during the two days of this year's NFL Draft. The mindset for the new Falcon era is to get players with a passion for the game, good character and playmaking ability. The 11 players drafted by the Atlanta Falcons fit the bill.

With the 3rd pick overall, the Atlanta Falcons selected QB Matt Ryan from Boston College. Ryan compares to Peyton Manning in size, intelligence and leadership. He is known as Matt “Ice” Ryan for his remarkable comebacks in the ACC. The 6’5, 224 pound quarterback was regarded as the best quarterback available in the draft. He will make people forget about Michael Vick with his leadership and competitiveness to win. It was the right pick for the Falcons to get their new franchise quarterback.

Staying in the first round, the Falcons traded up to the 21st pick and selected USC offensive lineman Sam Baker. Sam stands at 6’5, 305 pounds, and is well-known for his ability to pass block. He has great feet to play the tackle position but some feel his athletic ability and short arms could cause the Falcons to move him to guard. Sam compares to Matt Light from the New England Patriots due to his intelligence and style of play. The Falcons traded up smartly because of the run of offensive lineman that were quickly coming off the board.

With their 2nd round pick the Falcons selected Curtis Lofton, a linebacker out of Oklahoma. Lofton is a physical inside linebacker that makes the big play. Bob Stoops has been quoted that Lofton is “the best linebacker to come out of the Oklahoma program.” Lofton will give the Falcons a playmaking, hard-hitting linebacker in the interior of their defense. This was a very solid pick that will benefit the defense for years to come. Lofton compares to Patrick Willis from San Francisco with his hard hits, range and playmaking ability.

The Falcons were able to pick three times in the third round due to a trade with the Washington Redskins. With the first of these three picks the Falcons selected Chevis Jackson, cornerback out of LSU. Chevis is considered a big, physical corner at 6’0, 188 pounds. He was a playmaker in the secondary for the Tigers and looks to play that same role for the Falcons. His biggest knock was his time in the 40 where he ran a 4.5, but his on the field skills make up for it. Expect Chevis to start at the corner position along with Chris Houston. Chevis can be compared to Gary Baxter of the Cleveland Browns who had most of his NFL success in Baltimore. The second pick in the 3rd round went to Harry Douglas, wide receiver out of Louisville. Harry was Brian Brohm’s go-to guy when they played together. Douglas combines speed, quickness, agility and toughness at the wide receiver position. His size is a concern but can be a special weapon in the slot position. Douglas can be compared to Wes Welker of the New England Patriots. The final pick of the third round went to Thomas Decoud, safety out of California. The 6’2, 204 pound safety is known for his big hits and range. He isn’t considered a free or strong safety due to his versatility to play both. Expect Decoud to start on special teams and learn behind Lawyer Milloy. Thomas can be compared to Reggie Nelson out of Jacksonville.

The Falcons picked twice in the 5th round and they grabbed Robert James, linebacker out of Arizona State with the first pick. Robert was nicknamed “The Beast” in college. He is known for his tenacious play and speed all over the field. He is an undersized linebacker at only 5’11 and 220 pounds, but his special team upside is a huge asset. Robert can be compared to Derrick Brooks due to tenacity and speed. With the second pick the Falcons took Kroy Biermann, defensive end out of Montana. He is an undersized, pass-rushing defensive end at 6’3, 246 pounds. His productivity was eye-popping with 16 sacks last year. He lacks the size, but makes up with his versatility and tenacious play. Biermann brings a non-stop nasty motor to the defensive side of the ball. Biermann can be compared to Mike Vrabel due to his versatility to put his hand down or stand up.

The Falcons picked once in the sixth round and nabbed Thomas Brown, running back out of Georgia. Brown is a smaller back at 5’8, 204 pounds but has a great blend of speed and strength. He can catch out of the backfield and return kickoffs as well. Brown can be compared to Brian Westbrook with his versatility and pass catching skills.

The Falcons finished the draft off with two picks in the 7th round. The first pick went to Wilrey Fotenot, cornerback out of Arizona. Fotenot dealt with a lot of action in college since Antonie Cason was playing opposite of him. Fotenot is an in-your-face, hard-nosed cornerback who likes to get physical. Due to his size, he has trouble with the bigger receivers. Fotenot can be compared to Jacque Reeves with the Dallas Cowboys. The final pick of the draft went to Keith Zinger, tight end out of LSU. Zinger is a big tight end at 6’4, 250 pounds who should come in to block for special teams. His main strength is blocking but can also catch when given the opportunity. Zinger can be compared to Ben Hartsock of the Atlanta Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons look to start the new era with players who show leadership skills and loyalty to the team and community. After the draft was over, it is obvious that the Falcons are looking to find players who can be versatile, such as the New England Patriot players. This team has turned to the next chapter in the franchise and it looks to be a positive one. Mike Smith should be able to lead the team with a new attitude and mind-set of being competitive.

By Ryan Valdez
ProFootball-fans.com Atlanta Falcons Correspondent

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