Sean Weatherspoon is a Falcon

The pick is in, and it’s Mizzou LB Sean Weatherspoon after all. I love this pick as a Falcs fan.Classic case of BPA at a need position. Not to mention Weatherspoon is a likable guy who actually wanted to play for Atlanta.

After the other possibilities, Graham, Iupati and Pouncey, flew off the board in front of them, the Falcons’ choice was really a no-brainer.

Welcome to Atlanta, Sean Weatherspoon.

After underwhelming at the combine, Haden a real possibility

Once considered a pipe dream, the Falcons now have a realistic shot at drafting Joe Haden in the first round.

The “experts” had Haden listed as the top corner for months now, and the assumption was that he would be long gone by the time Atlanta’s 19th overall pick came around. After turning in a 4.57 and 4.60 in the all-too-important 40-yard dash, he’s definitely falling past Oakland, and possibly further. Should Thomas Dimitroff address the corner position, he’d be hard-pressed to find one with more on-field credentials.

D.Orlando Ledbetter knocks Haden for his size, nothing that at 5’10, 190 lbs., he doesn’t fit the  ideal body type the Falcons are looking for out of a defensive back this offseason. He then goes on to hilariously suggest that 6’2 210 would be a more prototypical size. While everyone loves defensive backs who can backpedal, open their hips and change directions at 6’2 210, the truth is they just don’t exist.

There’s Virginia DB Chris Cook, who at 6’1 and 212 lbs., posted a faster 40 than Haden (4.55) and is shooting up draft boards, but will likely not be taken during round 2. Opting for a player like Cook over a talent like Haden for measurables reasons–ignoring his superior ball skills, 3-years of experience, and SEC pedigree–is a move I’d expect from Al Davis, not Thomas Dimitroff.

I understand the need for non-midget defensive backs in the NFC South. After seeing Brent Grimes and Chris Houston get maimed by Marques Colston last season, many are now clamoring for DBs with a bit more size. “BIG CORNERS! WE NEED BIG CORNERS!” (Since they’re so abundant and all…)

This ignores the fundamental fact that, in addition to being a small corner, Chris Houston is also a bad corner. As in, terrible. He could be 6’6, he still wouldn’t have any ball skills or awareness in coverage. Joe Haden is a three-year starter for a top program, who faced off against the likes of Julio Jones (6’4 215) and AJ Green (6’4, 205). Was his size a problem during his junior season, when he was a consensus All-SEC and All-America selection?

I’m still on the “draft Sean Weatherspoon” bandwagon. But if the Falcons seriously want to address the corner position, and Joe Haden, all 5’10 1/2 of him, “slow” as he is, is there at 19, Thomas Dimitroff would almost have no choice.

Spring Training, Combine notes

• Grapefruit League baseball starts tomorrow. David O’Brien has provided a full day-by-day list of all pitchers scheduled to appear this week. Tommy Hanson will take the mound in tomorrow’s opener vs. the Mets, which will be broadcast on MLB Network. It is one of 12 Braves games to be televised this spring, including March 23, 24 and 26 dates on EPSN.
• Jair Jurrjens had an “excellent” throwing session Monday morning, as Mark Bowman reports. He only threw around 15 pitches, but did so pain free. Encouraging news to say the least. Jurrjens will throw another bullpen session Wednesday.
• Here is D. Orlando Ledbetter’s 5 things we learned at the NFL combine. In it, he explains why Julius Peppers is too expensive and doesn’t fit in the Falcons plan of being fiscally responsible.  He also provides a strong indication from Thomas Dimitroff that the team will not draft a defensive end in round 1. Dimitroff said he believes getting Peria Jerry back  next season will help the pass rush from the interior and he feels Kroy Biermann can get the job done opposite of John Abraham.
• Earlier in the week, Sean Weatherspoon told Ledbetter that he’d like to play for the Falcons. I’ve been on the Weatherspoon bandwagon since the Senior Bowl. If the team really is satisfied with its defensive ends, the likelihood is that the 19th pick will be spent on a cornerback. But if there are no capable DBs available, and Weatherspoon is still there, I think he’d be a great fit.
• Mark Bradley has decided that the Falcons shouldn’t spend their first round pick on CJ Spiller.  Glad he’s on board. I thought that it was a common sentiment among Falcons fans that with no 2nd round pick, the team couldn’t to take a luxury item like Spiller in round 1. But when Bradley entertained the idea last week, fifty-five percent of respondents said the Falcs would be “nuts” to pass on the speedster from Clemson.

Thomas Dimitroff makes his own luck

The Falcons won the coin-toss with the Houston Texans today for the 19th overall pick.  They’ll also pick 81st overall (3rd round) as a result.  Thomas Dimitroff moves to 2-0 in coin flip situations and is on pace to pass Harvey Dent as the best of all-time.

This time, TD didn’t need a tails call to secure victory.  The NFL made a custom coin with a team logo on each side. They also didn’t actually flip the coin, they let Sage Rosenfels fumble it while helicopter hurdling. As will happen in that situation, it turned out badly for Houston.

Senior Bowl Preview Part 2

Before I get into the South roster, and which players Falcons fans in particular should be watching Saturday, I’d like to thank NFL Network for its coverage of the week’s practices.  For pathetic losers like myself, it’s great mid-afternoon viewing.  Mark Mayock, in particular, keeps me in stitches with his creative vocabulary. Where else could we hear Dexter McCluster compared to Percy Harvin in terms of “explosion and propulsion”?  (The NFL, where propellers happen!)

Propellers aside, let’s take a look at some players to watch from the South:

South Team

• Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina- Norwood is more of an undersized defensive end than a true outside linebacker, but he rushes the passer like few others in this draft.  Whether or not he can play in the 4-3 remains to be seen, but the Falcons could take a shot at Norwood if he’s there in the mid-rounds.  Paired with Abraham on passing downs, he could greatly assist in getting pressure on the quarterback, which was a glaring weakness of the team this year.  Projected Round: 3rd
• Cameron Sheffield and Brandon Lang, LB/DE, Troy- I mention these two together because as a tandem they were highly productive in college, combining for 14.5 sacks. Troy has a proud tradition of pass rushers which includes DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora.  Sheffield is practicing as a linebacker in Mobile, and its unclear if Lang has the size to be a 4-3 defensive end either, but they’ve both had solid weeks of practice and could be solid pass-rush options in the draft’s second day. Projected Round: 3rd-5th
• Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami- There are several solid tight end prospects on the South roster, including Alabama’s Colin Peek and USC’s Anthony McCoy. But Graham is intriguing for two reasons: his 6’6 255 frame, and the fact that like Tony Gonzalez, he’s a converted hoops player. Graham averaged 18 minutes a game for the Hurricanes basketball team before trying football as a senior.   This is certainly a project but the athleticism and untapped potential is tantalizing.  In a loaded tight end class, he could be there for rounds 4 or 5.  Projected Round: Late 3rd/4th

Senior Bowl Preview Part 1

With the Super Bowl two weeks away, and just one Falcon in the Pro Bowl that nobody wants to play in (or watch for that matter), there’s only one football game that matters this weekend.  The top seniors in college football are in Mobile, AL this week, working with NFL coaching staffs and auditioning for scouts, leading up to the annual Senior Bowl game this Saturday.

While much has been made about Tim Tebow’s disappointing performance so far, and Terrence Cody looking more like Proposition Joe from “The Wire” than a top prospect, there are plenty of other players to check out if you’re a Falcons fan. Here are some players to keep an eye on this Saturday:

North Team

• Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri Listed at 6’0, 241, Weatherspoon is a two-time finalist for the Butkus Award, which goes to college football’s top linebacker.  He’d be a great addition to the LB corps, infusing some youth while still maintaining the size and toughness of veteran starter Mike Peterson. Projected Round: Late 1st/Early 2nd
• Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State Wilson has had such a great week of practice in Mobile, he is likely playing himself into the first round. Brent Grimes and Chris Houston continued to get picked on by bigger WRs last season, and second-year Chevis Jackson and rookie Chris Owens failed to emerge, making cornerback a position of need for the third-straight Falcons draft.  At 5’10, 190, with prototypical speed, Wilson has supplanted FSU’s Patrick Robinson as the number one senior cornerback, and Dimitroff would have to take a long look at him if Weatherspoon and the other top linebackers are off the board. Projected Round: Late 1st/Early 2nd.
• Daryl Washington, OLB, TCU Washington was overshadowed by teammate Jerry Owens, was equally important to TCU’s defense, leading the Horned Frogs in tackles last season as an inside linebacker in the 4-2-5. A bit on the lighter side at 6’2, 226, he uses his speed and quickness to get into the hole.  Washington could easily step in to the weak side LB spot currently occupied by Coy Wire or the become a successor to Peterson on the strong side. If Dimitroff opts to pass on a linebacker in round 1, Washington could be a steal in the third round. Projected Round: 3rd
• Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon A big target at 6’4, 244, Dickson was very productive in the Pac-10 and graduates as Oregon’s all time leading receiver among tight ends.  While it’s not a need pick, Dickson would provide great value if selected in round 3.  It’d be hard to turn down a productive young tight end who could someday take over for Tony Gonzalez. Projected Round: 3rd