Falcons Select Vic Beasley: Why He Is The Perfect Fit In Atlanta
The Atlanta Falcons have selected outside linebacker Vic Beasley with the eighth overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. Here is why he is the perfect fit in Atlanta.
Atlanta needed a pass rusher who can come in and dominate. Well, they have got their man. Beasley is an explosive athlete and has an incredible first step.
You need sacks? How about the all-time sack leader at Clemson?
Over the past three seasons at Clemson, he recorded 89 tackles, 52.5 of which were for a loss, seven forced fumbles and 33 sacks. In his last 39 games, Beasley made 33 sacks. That is impressive.
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Beasley is the best pure pass rusher in the draft, and he will make an immediate impact in Dan Quinn’s defense.
With Cam Newton, Drew Brees and now Jameis Winston in the division, Atlanta needs players who can pressure the quarterback and bring aggression to the defense.
That is exactly why bringing in Beasley is the right move.
The 6’3″, 246-pounder has an incredible burst off the snap and is very difficult to block. His speed to get to the quarterback will make him a dangerous threat in the pass rush, and will take plenty of consideration from offensive coordinators when game planning.
When Quinn was in Seattle, he was given a number of aggressive defenders who have great speed. What makes the Seahawks’s defense so strong is their ability to swarm to the football fast.
Beasley can do that, and he is the first piece to the puzzle.
Charlie Campbell of Walter Football.com believes Beasley can provide a ‘consistent source of pass pressure’ and that he ‘puts quarterbacks to the turf with authority’. That’s exactly what Atlanta needs from their first draft choice. Campbell added:
"“For the NFL, Beasley looks like he has the potential to become a double-digit sack-artist. Beasley is lightning off the edge with the skills to burn tackles with his speed rush even when they know it’s coming. He can beat tackles around the corner with his burst and will dart back to the inside or use a spin move. Beasley has active hands that he uses to keep blockers from getting a good hold of him. Beasley can get hot and take over games with a series of big-time plays.When it comes to the ground game, Beasley is at his best in pursuit. His recently added strength should make him a better run-defender, but he had issues defending downhill runs straight at him in college. Beasley will also benefit by moving back off the line of scrimmage and not lining up with his hand on the ground all the time.”"
Beasley expressed his interest in playing for Atlanta, having grown up a Falcons fan. This is a dream move for him, and a perfect fit for the Dirty Birds.
With Beasley locked up, what will the Falcons do in the second round? Will they turn to the secondary? Could they possibly pick up an offensive player?
Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon are gone, so it would seem unlikely they will opt for a running back at the top of the second round.
I wrote earlier in the week that the Falcons should trade up for Beasley if necessary. Well, it wasn’t necessary to trade up, which makes this pick even better.
The Falcons needed to fix their pass defense.
The best pure pass rusher of the 2015 NFL Draft is heading to Atlanta.
Next: Atlanta Falcons Draft Grades: Vic Beasley