Atlanta Falcons: Top 5 Defensive Players for 2015

Jun 17, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley (44) stretches during minicamp at Falcons Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

I was hesitant towards putting a rookie up this high on this list but Vic Beasley seems like a legitimate franchise pass rusher and the Atlanta Falcons defense has a long way to go from being feared in the NFL.  Though Vic smiles in every photo at Flowery Branch, I think our first round pick can become a double-digit sack caliber pass rusher for the Falcons.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see the Atlanta Falcons have 20 or more quarterback sacks in 2015 and Beasley be responsible for 10 of them?  Scouts said that for Quinn’s scheme, Vic Beasley would thrive in the LEO position right away.  He’s also playing for the team he grew up cheering for, residing 60 miles away in Adairsville, GA before committing to Clemson to play big time College Football.

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While I don’t see Beasley as an every-down pass rusher in 2015, I believe he will grow into being a capable run stopper on the outside within the next year and a half.  But if he can get after a quarterback with his electric first step, I know that Vic Beasley will become a fan favorite in Atlanta as Rise Up Nation is starving for productivity in the pass rush.

Should Vic make the most of his pass rushing opportunities this season, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him make the All-Rookie team.  Let’s hope that Vic is more like John Abraham on the field than Ray Edwards or Jamaal Anderson were for the Atlanta Falcons.

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