Atlanta Falcons: Was Vic Beasley The Right Pick?

After months of speculation and predictions, the Atlanta Falcons swiped defensive end Vic Beasley out of Clemson. No trading up, no trading down. They kept the eighth overall pick and chose Beasley. Dante Fowler (Jacksonville Jaguars) was the only pass rusher selected ahead of Beasley.

After the 2012 season, the Falcons cut sack artist John Abraham and lost the production of Sean Weatherspoon due to injury. The latter signed with the Arizona Cardinals this offseason. Ever since that fateful year, Atlanta hasn’t even been able to defend a park bench.

The plan for the Falcons’ first round pick was pretty clear: get somebody who could at least put a hand in the opposing quarterback’s face, and that they did by selecting Beasley.

Beasley, who is a native Georgian, will be playing in his own backyard.

He is 6’2″, and weighs in at 240 pounds while wearing a tool belt. His underweight size has been the concern with scouts and teams across the board. The Falcons plan to use him as a defensive end, in which his size will be his Achilles heel. Beasley will need to add 10+ pounds to give him a a needed extra edge on the skilled offensive tackles of the NFL.

At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Beasley is slim to play left defensive end in Quinn’s 4-3 defensive scheme. Many draft experts have considered Beasley to be the best 3-4 outside linebacker in this draft class. However, by adding Beasley, it’s clear that the Falcons believe that Beasley can be productive in their scheme. -Ryan Ratty of NFL Spin Zone

Whether if Beasley meets expectations or not, it’s clear that the Falcons are serious about rebuilding on the defensive side of the ball.

As far as a grade for this pick, I give the Falcons a B-. Overall, Atlanta filled a need. Beasley wasn’t necessarily the best available player for that need, and he will never be a top NFL pass rusher. But he will be a solid NFL player. He’s going to make some plays for the Falcons’ defense, which is essentially what they needed.

If you’re a Falcons fan, be happy with the pick. You have a playmaker, but don’t expect league-high numbers or Pro Bowl appearances. Beasley will be a decent NFL player.

Next: Atlanta Falcons Improve Pass Rush With Vic Beasley

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