Draft night (LIVE): Behind the scenes at Falcons’ HQ
FLOWERY BRANCH — I’ve arrived at Falcons’ Draft Central.
Actually, more like Falcons’ Draft South of Central. The media is on the first floor of the team’s offices. Arthur Blank, Thomas Dimitroff, Mike Smith and everybody who really matters in the front office is on the second floor. This affords the executive branch privacy during important matters such as NFL drafts and national security. I also have this theory that Dimitroff controls a trap door that will open directly above me, dropping a barbell on my head if I question one of his selections (because I’m also sure the room is bugged. Just remember: You’re not really paranoid if everybody’s out to get you).
Before getting into draft, here’s a little peak into where I am:
NFL teams have their "war room." We in the media have our "bunker." As you can see, it's a buzz of activity.
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I stopped at Chick-fil-A on the way. Figured the Falcons would serve us pizza. Didn't know they would actually cater the evening with, "Italian Marinated Grilled Chicken." And yes, I'll eat again.
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This is the AJC's signal-caller for the draft, D-Led. There's a story behind the green jacket. He played in coach Mike Smith's annual golf tournament and was voted the winner (loser?) of the Worst Swing Award. Strict rules mandated Ledbetter wear the jacket tonight.
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This is Reggie Roberts, the Falcons' vice president of football communications. By the time he gets finished with the news release, the Falcons will have drafted eight future Hall of Famers.
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OK, back to my keyboard. The Falcons, barring trades, will have eight selections over three days: one in the first (19); two in the third (83, 98); one in the fourth (117); two in the fifth (149, 165) and two in the sixth (171, 189). The fact they don’t have a second-round pick has prompted speculation that Dimitroff may try to swing a deal to get into the round.
There are no new rumors regarding the Falcons, just re-cast versions of the old ones. I still think it will be one of the five players we’ve discussed: center-guard Maurkice Pouncey, defensive end Brandon Graham, outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and tight end Jermaine Gresham. I think it’s safe to say that, except for Gresham, whomever they draft will be ticketed for a starting job.
Oh, and I’m still not buying that Derrick Morgan will drop to 19th.
Nationally, the only new news is several outlets are reporting that the chances of the Pittsburgh Steelers dealing Ben Roethlisberger are close to dead.
That’s it for now. I’ll be back shortly.
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Earlier posts
♦ Draft day (Part II): Tebow top 15, Morgan to Falcons?
♦ Draft day (Part I): Falcon options; Berry rips Deion; Tebow to Vikes?
♦ Even with loss, Braves show they’re not going away
♦ Live blog: Braves go for two over Phillies (and maybe a sign)
♦ Goodell had no choice but to suspend Roethlisberger
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718 comments Add your comment
mmgtfan
April 22nd, 2010
9:32 pm
SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
maxfliga
April 22nd, 2010
9:32 pm
Enter your comments here
Nelson S.
April 22nd, 2010
9:33 pm
SPOON!!!!
D. Orlando Ledbetter
April 22nd, 2010
9:33 pm
SPOON!!!!
CW52
April 22nd, 2010
9:33 pm
weatherspoon
Mr. Phil
April 22nd, 2010
9:33 pm
Great Great Great Pick. Mike Peterson start packing!
Nesbitt for Heisman!
April 22nd, 2010
9:33 pm
I don’t mind the pick, but I was hoping for Pouncey, Thomas, or Gresham. I thought there would be good options at linebacker in the 3rd. No reason not to trust Dimitroff though.
bigdawg
April 22nd, 2010
9:33 pm
I could be wrong, but when I think of linebackers, Missouri doesn’t come to mind.
Jeff Schultz
April 22nd, 2010
9:33 pm
Weatherspoon — Great pick. Team AJC has liked him all along. There was some thought about weather they could move down and still get him but to me that would’ve been a risk. Things worked out great for Falcons. They just got a starting OLB.
Eddie Cook
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
What were the issues with Weatherspoon? By the way, didn’t y’all love all of the air time that the ESPN crew gave to the Falcons?
BigTimeTechFan
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
Spoon ok for 19th pick, about right where he sould be rated
woodie
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
Dang- we picked Spoon…oh well
Tucker T
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
Ok Gatorgirl. I just made you look dumb and you are trying to save face. Go ahead. I won’t make fun of you anymore.
country boy
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
Solid pick. We need help at LB so bad.
david
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
Glad we did not pick Dez bryant…imagine the divided sunday afternoons down at the Georgiadome.
Say what?
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
A 6 feet tall OLB?? WTF???
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 22nd, 2010
9:34 pm
One Georgia Summer and he will be crying.
jaymin
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
i wish we had traded down, he would have been there at 25 or 26, dallas needs a OT
Not Don Waddell
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
WE had a franchise LT in our sights and let him get away. Ryan will continue to see his production decline each season going forward because he is playing behind a mediocre offensive line. Really, really puzzled why we would not take Bulaga there. Very disappointing pick, as OLB has no positional value. Starting to doubt Dimitroff for the first time.
Screen Pass
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
I wasn’t happy with TD’s draft last year..now no doubt he is clueless.
Big L
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
Welp, who wants to take bets that Tebow falls to second round?
Kurdt Kobain
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
Not sure the lack of air time was ESPNs fault. Falcons turned in their pick in a hurry. Must be excited for this kid.
Mtn Falcon
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
Spoon along with Peterson will be a good 1-2 punch!
Jeff Schultz
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
Falcons really liked Pouncey FYI. He might’ve been their pick if Steelers surprised and didn’t take him.
BigTimeTechFan
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
Spoon over Kindle I’m no expert but Kindle was beast at texas
Tucker T
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
I think the Falcons could have traded back and still gotten Spoon. Maybe there were no takers on a trade.
Tron5000
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
I really wanted Morgan. But I knew after losing Haynesworth and Vanden Bosch that unless we traded with Tenn they would take him. I now officially hate the Titans.
Delbert D.
April 22nd, 2010
9:35 pm
Weatherspoon is 6′1-3/4″ according to ESPN
michael
April 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
is he an instant contributor???
KSU OWL
April 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
Had him on my board two weeks ago. Outstanding pick. Nice to have guys running our draft making sound decisions.
atl xmen
April 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
great pick for the falcons….love it.
glad we didnt get morgan…he takes a ton of plays off
Jimmy
April 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
I don’t know about Spoon.
What’s the problem?
BigTimeTechFan
April 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
TEbow to NE at 22, I have call all along
John
April 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
We certainly filled a need.
Say what?
April 22nd, 2010
9:36 pm
Big L – you mean “moves up” to the second round, right?
jaymin
April 22nd, 2010
9:37 pm
that means no rennie curran for the falcons
Billy O
April 22nd, 2010
9:37 pm
I remember a 5′11″ linebacker that worked out pretty good….Jessie Tuggle
MI
April 22nd, 2010
9:37 pm
thought about “weather” they could
did u do that intentionally jeff? lol
KSU OWL
April 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
You can never never never have enough defense.
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
20 BAMA’s JACKSON at 5′-10″ hahhahaha OK waht a waste of 1st round money.
Brad
April 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
Cleveland about to lose. Something the hawks couldn’t do last year
BigTimeTechFan
April 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
we dont pick again for awhile unless we trade next year 1st round pick
Delbert D.
April 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
5′10 guys play bigger for Saban. Falcons should send their CBs to a Saban camp
Big L
April 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
Bay Bay to Cincy?
Supes
April 22nd, 2010
9:38 pm
They should have TRADED back…and found a way to get into ROUND 2 tomorrow.
Just damn.
Spoon is a good pick, I think he’ll be a fine addition and it really solidifies the LB situation. Still, I wonder if they had suitors to trade back, get a 2nd round pick, and maybe get a JERRY HUGHES?
Also, Bulaga would have been a great pick, we need O-Line help.
Gatorgirl
April 22nd, 2010
9:39 pm
You just made me look dumb how….I asked for a link and you gave it to me. Last time I checked that’s not making someone look dumb. But you didn’t answer my question. Must be crying about both.
Gwinnett Fred
April 22nd, 2010
9:39 pm
It’s so easy to ask “why didn’t we trade down?”
Guess what folks, if nobody wanted to trade, then we can’t trade with ourselves. Come on now – faith in Dimitroff, it a move was there to be made, he would have made it.
We just got a starting OLB – no complaintes here.
BigTimeTechFan
April 22nd, 2010
9:39 pm
What’s the Braves score?
Robert
April 22nd, 2010
9:39 pm
Sergio Kindle>>>>>>>>>>>Weatherspoon! BOO!!! Weatherspoon was a reach, if we wanted to reach for someone the Dwight Freeney clone Jerry Hughes should’ve been it!!!
waynester
April 22nd, 2010
9:39 pm
Tucker
Gotta believe there were no takers for a trade