Gang Green Nation Community Mock Draft Pick #19

by John B on Mar 31, 2010 7:57 PM EDT

Njdevil7 is up next to make a pick for a team that handed the Jets a devastating loss in December, the Atlanta Falcons.

With the nineteenth pick in the Gang Green Nation Community Mock Draft, njdevil7 picks for the Atlanta Falcons...

Earl Thomas
I picked Thomas mostly because he was the best player available. It's just a bonus that I helps fill a need in the secondary. Last year, Atlanta struggled with injuries, and depth in the back end of the defense was a concern as the team failed to miss the playoffs. They have Erik Coleman and Thomas DeCoud currently as their safties, but Earl Thomas is one of the most instinctive safties to come out in years.He's a great kid with all of the character qualities you want. The only concern I might have is his size, but so far he has had no durability issues so far. To me, this is an absolute steal for the Falcons.

My reaction:

I love Thomas. He's going to be an excellent cover safety and a real ballhawk for years. I'm still not sure how much I agree with the pick. This team is looking to win now and doesn't have a second round pick. There are real issues at outside linebacker that could be addressed by Sean Weatherspoon or at defensive end by Everson Griffen or Jerry Hughes. With that said, I can't get on the pick too much because I think Thomas is going to be a stud. You can't go wrong going best player available.

What do you think, GGN? Did the Falcons make the right pick going for best player available over pressing needs?

The Draft:

1. St. Louis (David Wyatt)-Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

2. Detroit (TheSanchize6)-Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

3. Tampa Bay (nrmax88)-Russell Okung, T, Oklahoma State

4. Washington (eighthoursaway)-Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

5. Kansas City (michael28102)-Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

6. Seattle (arrowshockey16)-Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

7. Cleveland (chrebetsthebet)-Joe Haden, CB, Florida

8. Oakland (mousie)-Bruce Campbell, T, Maryland

9. Buffalo (MachlinT)-Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa

10. Jacksonville (Leamg)-Jason Paul-Pierre, DE, South Florida

11. Denver (THetes)-Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama

12. Miami (ThomasU)-Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas

13. San Francisco (Newcomb29(Edge))-Trent Williams, T, Oklahoma

14. Seattle (arrowshockey16)-Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

15. New York Giants (Crackback)-Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech

16. Tennessee Titans (JGrill77)-Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

17. San Francisco (Newcomb29(Edge))-Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan

18. Pittsburgh (Bob_The_Friendly_Baker)-Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida

19. Atlanta (njdevil7)-Earl Thomas, S, Texas

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Comments

I don’t know that much about the Falcons, but I’m going to disagree with this pick. Yeah, E.T. was the best player available, but if there are real issues at OLB and DB, they should have went there, especially if they’re trying to win now. I want to say they had bigger issues at CB than at S also.

by random122 on Mar 31, 2010 8:57 PM EDT reply actions

In theory Dunta Robinson should solidify corner, and anybody they took here would be a reach with Haden and Wilson gone.

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by John B on Apr 1, 2010 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions

i tend to disagree with you hen you say the falcons are in “win now” mode. 2008 was a nice story, but they were so sucessful because they just played out of their minds, especially on the offensive line. They also lost a lot defensive pieces in the 09 offseason, so I think this team is still a year or two away from really being contenders.

by Ryan Alfieri on Apr 1, 2010 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Falcons fan here

Earl Thomas is going to be a wonderful safety somewhere, just not Atlanta. We used a high 2nd rounder on William Moore last year, and a 3rd on Thomas Decoud the year before. DeCoud was a notch or 2 below Pro Bowl level and will only better. Moore was hurt all of last season but is a big hitter at SS which last year’s starter did not seem to have the ability to do. If Moore stays healthy we already have a good young secondary to work with. Provided we improve the pass rush, which all of us at the Falcoholic seem to think we will get Spoon.

by thisistherevolt on Apr 1, 2010 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

will only get better.*

by thisistherevolt on Apr 1, 2010 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Get Spoon to play backer? Or to rush the passer?

by Crackback on Apr 1, 2010 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Most of us at the Falcoholic

Think the two will come hand-in-hand. We blitzed Mike Peterson more than we should have last year, and he did not produce in pas-rushing. Spoon is younger, faster and stronger than Peterson. The number of QB hits and sacks should go up from that position with Weatherspoon on a pure athletic standpoint.

by thisistherevolt on Apr 3, 2010 2:18 AM EDT up reply actions

I am a lone wolf at the Falcoholic

With our entire offensive line either retiring or unrestricted free agents in 2011, I feel Mike lupati would make an immediate impact at Guard or could make the transition to Tackle quickly. Others believe if we go offensive line at all it would be pouncy at center but i think we could take tennant at center in the third round.
With the addition of Dunta and a healthy Peria at DT I think our already good defense has already improved and needs little tweeking that cannot be done in latter rounds.

Like i said I am a lone wolf in these beliefs but i stand firm that our long term future is more important than a little tweek on defense.

by Funballad on Apr 3, 2010 8:01 AM EDT reply actions

you're not alone

I also think that since there is a lot of risk in picking a pass rusher in the 1st round, we could go after an O-lineman. but I believe in our team management expertise. my guess is that if a desired player is gone (and if that desired player is a DE or an OLB) they will go after some O-lineman.

Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia

by Gemini-RU on Apr 3, 2010 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

You aren't completely alone

Yeah, I really really want weatherspoon but I would be 100% happy with Iupati. The only reason I like Pouncey slightly more is his ability to play guard and center, instead of guard and tackle like Iupati. I don’t have a problem with Tennant either it’s just that I have my heart set on Jimmy Graham in the 3rd

by FLA_Falcon on Apr 3, 2010 8:40 AM EDT reply actions