Atlanta Falcons Potential Draft Pick: Vic Beasley
By Sam Kweon
Welcome to the second edition of an Atlanta Falcons draft preview. In this series, we will be going over each player that has a chance of being drafted to the Atlanta Falcons.
PLAYERS ALREADY COVERED: (Shaq Thompson) (Can Be Found HERE)
"TEAM PREVIEW (included in every article of series)There is no hiding the fact that this team is going to look new, fresh, even strange. We will not be seeing Mike Smith on the sidelines anymore, but a new face. Dimitroff and the new coaches are going to want to make changes for the city of Atlanta. Players will be released, they won’t be resigned, and new athletes will come in from the NFL Draft.Keep in mind that this isn’t a team that is rebuilding. This is a team that has one of the better, if not the best, quarterbacks in the NFL in Matt Ryan, arguably the best wide receiver in the league in Julio Jones, and a play-making cornerback, Desmond Trufant."
ProFootballSpot.com (subscription required) had the 2014 Atlanta Falcons ranked as the third worst pass-rushing team in the NFL with a -15.7 rating. This isn’t surprising…
The best three pass rushers that the Falcons had was Jonathan Babineaux, Osi Umenyiora, and Jonathan Massaquoi. Babineaux is one to keep, but if he truly was the best this team had then it’s obvious that they need help. Umenyiora is retiring at seasons end, and Massaquoi is too inconsistent.
“Beasley is much smaller, 6-2 220ish. Maybe could get in the 230-pound range,” ESPN’ Todd McShay said. “To me, he’s more of an outside-linebacker fit, but he can provide pass rush. He’s been insanely productive the last couple of years.
In comes Vic Beasley.
Beasley weighs in at around 220-230. That’s a problem in the NFL, and many are saying that he should be an outside linebacker, not a defensive end. That doesn’t bode well for the Dirty Birds, simply because they run a 4-3 front.
But if he falls to the Falcons at the 8th pick, his pure talent and skill may be too hard to resist. He may force the team to get in a new formation in the playbook, but if Beasley can bring the pass rush that he had in college, watch out.