Atlanta Falcons 2015 NFL Draft Grades
By John Buhler
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Vic Beasley (Clemson) poses for a photo after being selected as the number eighth overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Now that the Atlanta Falcons 2015 NFL Draft has come and gone, let’s take a look back on who the team selected, where they landed for the Falcons, and how I would grade Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn’s first season working together in the Atlanta war room.
I will use the same plus-minus system as I have before. Only this time I will grade each draft day evenly (33.3%), not just the picks themselves. Each draft day grade will be an average of each individual draft pick made on that day. Let’s get started.
Day 1, 1st Round
OLB Vic Beasley, Clemson (8th Overall)
The Atlanta Falcons are getting one of college football’s premier pass rushers in the two-time consensus All-American from Clemson University. Beasley has an explosive first step and high football IQ. While he will start with the Falcons as a pass rusher on obvious passing situations (3rd and long, 4-5 receiver sets), look for Vic Beasley to contribute right away even when he is still learning how to effectively defend the run. Vic views himself as a 10+ sack guy annually. The Falcons haven’t had that kind of production from a pass rusher since John Abraham left for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency after the 2012 season.
I certainly came away pleased with Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn’s decision to stay put at 8 and draft Vic Beasley. Atlanta could have gone up in the draft to take someone like Florida’s Dante Fowler, Jr. but the Falcons valued their draft picks too much to pull of that trade with Jacksonville. While the Falcons front office might have felt tempted to take UGA’s Todd Gurley with their eighth overall selection, Atlanta desperately needed a top-notch pass rusher more than they needed a workhorse running back. The combination of scheme fit and discipline makes this a great first pick to begin the Atlanta Falcons 2015 NFL Draft.
Grade: 97, A
Next: Atlanta Falcons Draft Day Two Grades