LIVE CHAT: WWTDD – What will Thomas Dimitroff do?
We are in the media War Room and ready for your questions before the second day of the NFL draft starts.
FLOWERY BRANCH – Took a little time to assess the first round late last night, got a few winks, delivered a couple of lectures on the media and the justice system and then started to ponder this WWTDD question.
Given what happened in the most bizarre first round in quite a while, we have to figure out “What Will Thomas Dimitroff Do” with the 55th and 84th picks of the draft.
The first round broke beautifully for the Falcons, who have heavily scouted offensive tackles. The Falcons can practically sit back at 55 and watch as lineman slips through. Georgia’s Cordy Glenn, Stanford’s Jonathan Martin and Mississippi State’s Bobby Massie, Ohio State’s Mike Adams and Wisconsin’s Peter Konz were not selected in the first round. All were projected as potential first round picks.
The Falcons may target Adams or Martin if they are slipping and go up and get one of them. Dimitroff has made at least
Let's go eat a (blank, blank) snack!!! The media war room has some healthy snack options.
one trade in each of his past four drafts.
If the Falcons lay back at 55, California tackle Mitchell Schwartz and Midwestern State tackle/guard Amini Silatolu could still be around.
During the pre-draft process the Falcons worked out offensive tackles Schwartz, Steven Baker (East Carolina), Dennis Kelly (Purdue), Kelechi Osemele (Iowa State) and Donald Stephenson (Oklahoma).
We have a few hours until things get started. So send along your questions.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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527 comments Add your comment
Disgusted
April 27th, 2012
10:53 pm
Lousy pick, especially when Ben Jones is still on the board.
Holmes is projected as what, 5th round material. What in the @#&# is Thomas Dimitroff thinking, this draft is a big fat F minus for the Falcons.
And they want me to help pay a billion dollars to replace a stadium that is perfectly servicable.
We go to the PSL’s, I am done. I vote NO but have no choice in it.
I would like to put a billion bucks in our schools though. This is a game, our kids are our future.
TommyP
April 27th, 2012
10:55 pm
Dr.: You bring sanity to the debate. It’s common knowledge that many towns work in unison with the university. When an athlete gets in trouble, cops are told to, “Call Coach So-and-so.” I live in Knoxville and this is common knowledge by everyone.
The University of Georgia has one of the toughest policies in the country on drugs. I believe Kentucky is the only SEC school that compares. Nationally, I believe Georgia is 1 of 6 schools that suspends athletes for 10% of the schedule for any alcohol arrests, 50% on the 2nd arrest.
Michael Adams said today or yesterday in an article that they want to be a leader in the country on the policy against drugs.
Georgia is INCREDIBLY tough on discipline…one of the toughest in the country.
mars
April 27th, 2012
10:56 pm
Ayone heard from DLED?
Josh B
April 27th, 2012
10:57 pm
Lamar Holmes is massive and is a better pass blocked than run blocker..I guess I can’t be upset..a good tight end should be available tomorrow
tyger
April 27th, 2012
10:57 pm
Bobbie Massey and Zebrie Sanders bypassed ….
Konz is OK, but weak and injury prone…
Holmes doesn’t even register…
chuck
April 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
It’s time to fire Dimitroff. He doesn’t understand the draft. We could have had Lamar Holmes in the 5th round safely and added a DT like Brandon Thompson who went right after Dimitroff screwed up our 3rd round pick.
Disgusted
April 27th, 2012
10:58 pm
Tommy P—Ridley is a fumbler and I hope he is not another girlie Laurence Maroney.
Oh, and another 2006 bust, Chad Jackson.
Belicheck has made his mistakes in the draft, tonight, drafting Tavon Wilson as as bad as that POS Holmes the Falcons made.
Yes, the two Tight Ends worked out great, and the first round activity the Pats made last night were excellent, but Tavon Wilson, that spoils enerything.
Dimitrff gets a F tonight. He is the worst GM in all of sports in terms of drafting. Hope the Birds get some veteran help, then got zilch from this draft. I hate Holmes, he sucks. He is worse than Baker ant that is sayin something.
TommyP
April 27th, 2012
11:00 pm
Fire the most successful GM in franchise history. LOL LOL LOL
Horrible pick, I agree, but you’re a drama queen.
Disgusted
April 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
I cannot wait for the day that Dimitroff is fired for his garbage pickes. Baker, Jerry, Jamal Anderson, Holmes, etc etc etc.
Worst drafting team in the history of sports.
chuck
April 27th, 2012
11:01 pm
I think DLED got sick when he heard about the Holmes pick. No way he can defend this joke.
Disgusted
April 27th, 2012
11:02 pm
At least you agree that this is a horrible pick Tommy P.
This is a waste, and the Flacons are not gonna get beter.
Disgusted
April 27th, 2012
11:04 pm
The way that TD drafts OT’s, poor Matty is gonna have his career shortened.
Holmes deserves to be Booed.
charles
April 27th, 2012
11:05 pm
I love the pick of Lamar Holmes-the guy is huge-SI.com had some good things to say about him as well as Mike Mayock! Can he be worse than Baker!
mars
April 27th, 2012
11:05 pm
C’mon guys. Tough on drugs, yes. The kind of discipline that wins games is what our boys lack. The largest line in all of football, pro and college, lined up against tiny players at Oregon last year, and were winded by the first half. I don’t care that we didn’t have the right conditioning coach to act as nanny and change their diapers for them. In the days before conditioning coaches, players knew to show up in shape or they would forfeit their scholarships. That’s the type of discipline that we are missing. You instill that kind of discipline, and the drug and alcohol problems will diminish without having to play nanny. If you insist on babysitting hoodlums, expect bad behavior.
Greg
April 27th, 2012
11:06 pm
Charles- In a word: yes.
THE REAL PHIL
April 27th, 2012
11:15 pm
I believe that Dimitroff is a smart guy…………….but are we supposed to believe that he is smarter than EVERYONE???? How can you see that we can’t make 4th and inches 15 times last year and use your first pick on someone who is a weakling by NFL standards? Is HE gonna move the pile? And this guy is projected as a 6 or 7 but the Falcons make him a 3 because they are smarter than EVERYONE else??
Why didn’t we get Brandon Brooks with our first pick?
TNScott
April 27th, 2012
11:19 pm
Very unimpressive use of draft picks. Picking a tackle who plays in Conference USA over one who plays in the toughest conference in college football. WOW. Plus, we had a defense who couldn’t pressure our opponents’ passer. I’m beginning to come to the conclusion that these New England front office clones are secretly the spawn of Al Davis.
Embarrassed
April 27th, 2012
11:22 pm
Really, LIke that Tackle wasn’t gonna be there in the 6th, or 7th round??? What a horrible use of 3rd rounder.. I think we win despite our genius leadership..
Spike 80DF
April 27th, 2012
11:23 pm
Lamar Holmes projected as a 6th rounder? I hope TD knows something no one else knows about this guy…..
Wayne
April 27th, 2012
11:25 pm
Well, supposedly Massie can’t play the left side, but HOLMES? Seriously? I went to find his grade on ESPN.com and they didn’t even have him RANKED. I’m not saying they know more than TD, but this was off the grid. Have to think Massie could have been had later. I’m shocked…and disappointed.
Wayne
April 27th, 2012
11:26 pm
Meant to say “have to think HOLMES could have been had later”.
ATLJBO
April 27th, 2012
11:31 pm
@ THE REAL PHIL
The guy squat over 700lbs… So his leg strength (which helps you get push) is theire.. So i wouldnt call the guy weak… He has to improve his strength in his arms to get a better push… But if you are talking about 4th and inches…. The guy gets a good push…. Watch Wisconsin games on espn 3…
If you dont feel like watching the whole game.. Watch him vs Nebraska right here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1wiViy1il0
charles
April 27th, 2012
11:31 pm
Let’s be real people-at this point you’re looking at upside as much as productivity-there’s plenty of supposed projections that have been way off already in this draft-let’s trust that TD and Smitty have done their homework and made an educated pick!
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
April 27th, 2012
11:44 pm
mars- discipline is key yes!! however, majority of SEC programs turn a blind eye towards off field issues. UGA being strict as they are, is only hurting us.
K-man
April 28th, 2012
12:04 am
DLed just posted story where he writes, “The Falcons’ plan was to improve the offensive line early in this draft. Their decision came down to Konz and Mississippi tackle Bobby Massie.”
So, why the hell didn’t TD draft Massie instead of Holmes? He had trouble deciding between Konz and Massie in the 2nd round, but passes on Massie in the 3rd! WTF?
THE REAL PHIL
April 28th, 2012
12:22 am
@ATLJBO ok I watched all 5:08 of the film. I don’t know how experienced you are at watching film, but here is what I saw. First play of the film his man makes the tackle in the backfield. Third play he lets a man take a free run to the QB only to have QB cause the man to miss. On a reverse play he pulls to bl0ck a cornerback who is STANDING STILL. The guy barely and I do mean BARELY touches the CB’s ankle. One play he cuts the MLB who promptly gets up and tackles the back for a loss. EVERY Effective block I saw him make was as part of a double team. I am hoping he had better games against other people.
Chub Rock
April 28th, 2012
12:23 am
Speak on it K-man!!!!! I personally thought Dimitroff was scared to draft another guy from Mississippi after the Peria Jerry debacle. Only time will tell if Mr. Holmes is worth the pick used on him. Everybody else is passing on Massie too. I don’t know anymore. Hey we got 2 big O-lineman which is what we needed so we’ll see. You can make guys stronger but you can’t make’em grow. Let us pray.