Atlanta Falcons Select OLB Vic Beasley 8th Overall
By John Buhler
With the eighth pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select OLB Vic Beasley out of Clemson University. Beasley was a two-time consensus All-American pass rusher for Dabo Swinney’s Tigers. Vic, a lifelong Falcons fan, brings speed and versatility to an Atlanta pass rush in dire need.
I was thrilled that Beasley was able to fall to Atlanta at eight. Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff has earned a reputation as a climber up draft boards in recent years (2011 for Julio Jones and 2013 for Desmond Trufant). But in the last two drafts, Dimitroff has stayed put and selected the best possible fit for the Falcons in their allocated draft slot.
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Beasley looks to contribute right away in Dan Quinn’s new defense scheme. Although he projects more as a 3-4 OLB, there was obviously something about Vic that the Falcons front office loved.
Atlanta has struggled mightily to get after the opposing quarterback the last two seasons with DE John Abraham leaving for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency after the 2012 NFC Championship run. I haven’t been this pumped for a Falcons rookie pass rusher since Patrick Kerney was selected out of the University of Virginia in 1999.
Dan Quinn is all about playing fast with high football IQ. Vic Beasley fits that mold perfectly along with being a man of high character. I envision Beasley being an Atlanta Falcon for ten seasons and a pillar in the community as he is a native of Adairsville, Georgia.
So far in the 2015 NFL Draft for the Atlanta Falcons, so good. I’m anxious to see where Thomas Dimitroff, Dan Quinn, Assistant GM Scott Pioli and Director of Personel Lionel Vital find value in the mid to late rounds of this year’s draft.
We can all take a deep breath, Falcons fans. Thomas Dimitroff hit the eighth overall selection out of the park!