Dawg Day Afternoon

Congrats to the Dawgs that were picked in the NFL Draft yesterday. There weren’t any real shockers in relation to what round any of them went in. It was a surprise that Chester Adams was picked and Fernando Velasco wasn’t. I had that figured as happening the other way around. I do think that Velasco will get a look, and may land a spot on the roster if he ends up with the right team. Kregg Lumkin might find a spot somewhere also.

And now for my less than expert analysis of the Falcons Draft.

WHAT IN THE BLOODY BLUE HELL WERE THEY THINKIN’?

1st Round, 3rd overall pick (the equivalent of an NBA lottery pick)……. Here’s where you can get a player with the “wow factor”, and the Birds pick Matt Ryan. Do the Falcons have a need at QB? Yes. Is Matt Ryan the best QB in this year’s draft? Maybe. Has Matt Ryan ever made anyone say “WOW”? I don’t think so. The Falcons could’ve picked up Flacco or Henne much later. Please prove me wrong Matty, but I think this was a major waste of a very high pick. You’ve gotta stink it up real bad to earn that 3rd pick and to spend it on Matt Ryan here doesn’t give me the feeling that they’re moving in the right direction. McFadden, Dorsey, Ellis, or Gholston would’ve made more sense here to me. Grade C-

1st Round, 21st overall pick…..We trade to get back into the first round and pick up OT Sam Baker from USC. I think the Falcon’s brass has all of the pre-season cfb rags laying around and that’s where they get their info. Sam Baker was a pre-season All-American, but got hurt and didn’t have a monster year. Still, there was a need at tackle, and he was probably the best available at the time. Grade B-

2nd Round, 37th overall pick……MLB Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma. Another wasted pick. This was a very weak year for MLB’s and the Falcons took the 1st one off the board at this spot. OU’s defense didn’t impress me one bit this year and this was their field general. But, his scouting report says he’s “football smart”. Grade D

3rd Round, 68th overall pick…….Chevis Jackson, CB, LSU. Played in a tough league, plays the run well, doesn’t have great speed, and doesn’t thrill me at all. Grade C

3rd Round, 84th overall pick……Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville. Skinny WR with decent skills. Decent pick. Grade B

3rd Round, 98th overall pick…..Thomas DeCoud, S, Cal. Who?? Grade D

5th Round, 138th overall pick….Robert James, OLB, Arizona State. Who? Grade D

5th Round, 154th overall pick….Kroy Biermann, OLB, Montana. Who? Where? Grade D

6th Round, 172nd overall pick….Thomas Brown, RB, UGA. Ahhhhhh. That’s a relief. Good value pick here. If TB can stay healthy, he should have a nice career. Grade B

7th Round, 212th overall pick….Wilrey Fontenot, CB, Arizona. Decent scouting report for a corner this far down in the draft. Grade B

7th Round, 232nd overall pick…..Keith Zinger, TE, LSU. Just shoot me now. Grade F

I’m reading the scouting reports of these players as they’re picked and for the life of me, I can’t figure it out. Not one of these players stands out as a future superstar. Every stinkin’ scouting report was the same. Undersized, not fast, can’t stop the run, played DE in college but will move to OLB at the next level……I forgot how many times I puked.

The Falcons had a chance for a great draft. 11 picks in 7 rounds with 2 first rounders. There were some pretty good names still on the board when we picked up the no-names in the middle rounds. The two undersized DE / OLB’s really sealed the deal. A chance to pick 20% of your entire team in one draft, and I don’t see one spot that they really nailed. Overall grade D, and that may be generous.