Comments on: English goes to Falcons in early Mock Draft

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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:41:03 +0000

[...] Let’s practice some “Citizen Journalism” today. We didn’t start doing our Mock Draft until March 20th last [...]

By: vickfan

vickfan — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:34:05 +0000

Why are you all still talking about Vick, he done his time like some of you MOVE ON. I bet the ones dragging Vick was the one packing the dome to see him play. Johnson needs to be the 1st pick, the linebackers are to slow, MJ knows how to get off the ball and rush the QB. Enough said

By: Big C

Big C — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:15:32 +0000

I’ve heard from an alum of NIU, who has worked with Larry English. He says this guy is the real thing.

By: D3

D3 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:37:36 +0000

marko – I’m not saying Michael Johnson would be a bad pick, I was just saying that if we draft him, he’s obviously going to be a DE and that we MUST move Jamaal inside to DT. If Jamaal could put on a little weight he could be a DT in the mold of Richard Seymour perhaps. I originally was really opposed to drafting a pure DE, but if we were to move J.Anderson inside permanently, drafting Johnson would solidify both needs.

Larry English or Aaron Maybin would give us more versatility and that’s true, but if I would have to assume they would be training those guys as OLB’s first and they could occasionally use them as a DE or just in case option. Cushing or Matthews might be more “OLB” ready, per se, but maybe English or Maybin would have more upside. Drafting any of them in my opinion would be a solid pick.

Ken – starting to come over to your idea a little on TE. Listening to Mel Kiper on the Falcons yesterday saying we could grab a TE in the 2nd – 4th. He mentioned the usual suspects: Cook, Beckhum, Nelson, Ingram, Coffman, or Casey. But if it comes down to which TE maybe not block as good as Morrah, but necessarily may have more pass-catching upside like Nelson, I’d go with Nelson. With good coaching, which we have, blocking can be coached up, athletic ability to stretch the field can not as much.

The Michael Johnson theory has a huge upside, assuming we move J.Anderson inside permanently, but it also carries huge risk as well. As Stirg noted a couple of days ago, the development of a DE is pretty slow the majority of the times, do we really want to wait for Johnson to catch up, or give Anderson one more year to bust out?

By: Ken Strickland

Ken Strickland — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:15:48 +0000

SUPES-you’re right about both TE’s, but that fact has nothing to do with us or what we’re looking for in a TE. It’s obvious our coaching staff wants a TE with inline block ability and the ability to stretch the DEF as a receiver. Peele is the closest thing we now have to that, and apparently our coaching staff feels he lacks what is needed as a receiving TE to effectively stretch the DEf. Dimitroff and Smith aren’t looking for the most athletic TE or the best receiving TE, and we already have at least 3 one dimensional blocking TE’s. We’re looking for the TE that combines the best of both, and Pettigrew is the highest rated TE because of his overall blocking a receiving ability. Since Pettigrew would come at too a high price, and we already have a solid passing OFF, we can afford to draft a TE with more blocking skills than receiving skills, but he must possess both. We can let the other teams, and fans, drool over superior stats, measurements and receiving ability, while we quitely get what we need in the 3rd or 4th rd. That way, we can use our top 2 or 3 picks to draft what we need on DEF.

Also, when you talk about TE’s Dallas Clark and Antonio Gates, you’re talking about TE’s that are featured receivers on pass oriented OFF’s. Our OFF philosophy is the complete opposite, as we’re one of the NFL’s most run oriented OFF’s. We’re looking for a TE who’s inline blocking skills will allow us to maintain the same level of effectivenes in our rushing OFF, and who’s receiving skills will help expand our passing OFF. WE DON’T NEED, NOR DO WE WANT, ONE DIMENSIONAL TE’S LIKE AGATES, DCLARK, CCOFFMAN, JCOOK, TBECKMAN ETC.

We already have our star WR’s. What we need is a blocking TE with enough speed and quickness to effectively attack the weakness of the cover 2 zone DEF, which is up the middle between the safeties, and do it on any down without having to substitute. OUR OFF DOESN’T NEED THE DRAFTS BEST BLOCKING TE, THE BEST RECEIVING TE, OR THE BEST TE. We need the TE that best gives us what we need at a price we can afford to pay, period. ACCORDING TO SCOUTING REPORTS, THAT TE IS 6′4″ 244LB CAMERON MORRAH OF THE UNIV OF CALIFORNIA(THE GOLDEN BEARS). I GOT IT RIGHT THIS TIME.

One other thought. Don’t be supprised if we draft a CB at #24. Every draft has a number of freakishly athletic tweeners like English, especially from smaller schools, that can be had lower in the draft. DE’s Biermann(Falcons), Freeney and Mathis(Colts), who was a LB at div 11 Ala A&M Univ, are excellent examples. Although Freeney is more renown and is higher paid, Mathis has actually been more productive over the last few yrs.

By: cutter

cutter — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:46:07 +0000

Calvin Johnson over 2,000 yds and 16 TD in 2 seasons…just getting started.

By: cutter

cutter — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:24:06 +0000

I think we are getting a little carried away with this versatility stuff. We have needs on the defense I think most will agree they are on the DL at the DT position in the secondary at SS and CB and the OLB positon needs depth and yes it would be great to have a blocking TE to add to that offense. Versatility is nice to have but how many teams in the NFL have OLB’s that play DE? A 3-4 teams OLB has to have the DE size because his is dealing OT and sometimes a TE when he rushes. With our situation at DE right now it appears to me we need a OLB that plays OLB and a DT that plays DT and a SS that plays SS and yes it would be nice to have a TE that does it all. Let’s not get to caught up in whether a guy can play 2 or 3 positions and make sure we get guys that can fill needs on defense I don’t think the great turnaround of this defense is gonna be a guy who is a slow OLB and undersized DE in the 4-3 scheme. Being able to show different looks on defense works and defenses are being successful with it but we need to BUILD a good solid base defense before we can worry about OLB’s that can pretend to be DE or vice versa.

By: marko

marko — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:23:01 +0000

D3, ever hear of Ted Hendricks, “the Mad Stork” was six foot seven. Played well enough to get an invite to Canton. Jessie Tuggle on the other hand, did’nt get drafted because he was only five eleven. The point is that great players come in all different shapes and sizes. Me I’d give the nod to Michael Johnson over Larry English. Effort issues aside, he produced his stats playing linemen that are going to be first round selections.

By: marko

marko — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:02:21 +0000

Just for the record, Thomas Dimitroff does’nt have a bigger fan on this planet than me. If he were to read my little tirade, I’d hope that he get a chuckle or two out of it. At worst he’d realize that Sports Illustrated was the butt of the joke not him. But then Thomas is a pretty bright guy isn’t he? As for the suggestion that I jump off a bridge, thanks a pant load, but no thanks. I would however appreciate it if someone were to suggest that I do a better job of proof reading my stuff.

By: Mock Draft Take 3. | The Recycle Bin

Mock Draft Take 3. | The Recycle Bin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:53:01 +0000

[...] D. Orlando Ledbetter of the ajc.com Falcons Blog has offered his take on this year’s draft. Quoting Ledbetter, is almost like someone quoting my ramblings on this blog, but I digress. ” It’s no secret the Falcons will go heavy on defense in this draft. Here are couple of players to track over the next month. They’ll likely still be available when the Falcons pick No. 24. [...]