5 recent Falcons players who came so close to NFL stardom

2. Vic Beasley, EDGE

Has there been a more frustrating player over the past decade?

As the eighth-overall pick in 2015, Vic Beasley was expected to break the edge-rusher curse in Atlanta. His rookie campaign was rather underwhelming but that all changed in his second season.

The former Clemson Tiger led the league in sacks with 15.5, forced six fumbles, and scored a touchdown that got Jeff Fisher fired. It helped the Falcons make the postseason where he disappeared. In the 12 quarters of playoff football, Beasley did not record a single sack, which foreshadowed his future.

While there was evidence that his 2016 season was a bit of a fluke(his pressure-to-sack percentage was off the charts), it was impossible not to get excited about the future of the Deacon Jones award winner.

However, things went downhill as a lack of motivation to play the game of football cost him greatness. He went on to have just 18 sacks over the next three years for his hometown team.

You may not know this but Beasley played in the UFL during their inaugural season these past few months.