(We are just one week away from the NFL Draft. The Cover 9@9 is here every Wednesday at 9 a.m. We’ll try to get to everything about the Atlanta Falcons from who really turned up the noise at the Georgia Dome to exactly who's going to play left guard. -– D. Orlando Ledbetter)
1. Top QBs are not ready to start: Our position-by-position series concludes on Thursday and Friday with the stories and charts on the top quarterbacks and tight ends.
Most of the draftniks believe that Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota could develop into good NFL quarterbacks, but they need to be brought along slowly.
Most teams have not been able to duplicate the success of the Falcons and the Ravens had by starting Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco immediately. Both teams were able to win with rookie quarterbacks in 2008 and sustained that winning for a period of time with the Ravens winning a Super Bowl and the Falcons reaching the NFC title game after the 2012 season.
The scrapheap of quarterbacks who've been rushed to field includes three-fourths of the quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2011 draft. The exception has been Cam Newton in Carolina.
Jake Locker (eighth overall, 2011), Blaine Gabbert (10th) and Christian Ponder (12th) were all unsuccessfully rushed into starting roles. Locker has retired altogether. Gabbert is a backup with the 49ers, while Ponder is trying to revive his career with the Raiders.
If Winston and Mariota are not handled properly, they could join the list of first-round quarterback busts.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. is conflicted over who’s the better NFL prospect because of Winston’s several off-the-field issues, which include allegations of rape and now a civil lawsuit that alleges sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of forcible rape.
Winston was not charged with a crime and Florida State's decision and appeal found that he did not violate the student conduct code.
“You do as much due diligence as you can, that’s what we do and that’s what the teams do,” Kiper said. “Right now, he’s at four (on Kiper's draft board), but he may end up as five, six or seven. Jameis, I had him up there as the guaranteed No. 1 after his freshman year. There was no question that he was going to be the first pick in the draft.”
Then all of his bizarre incidents -- not paying for crab legs and yelling vulgar obscenities atop a table in the student union -- and brushes with law enforcement started to come to light.
“Had he even come out last year, he would have been the No. 1 pick,” Kiper said. “But, the concerns to me are can he be a CEO. I still have those concerns based on what happened. There are six or seven issues. I haven’t made a final call on the quarterbacks. I have had them 1 and 1A. I’ve had them that way all along. They are four and five on the (big) board and this Friday I have to make the final call on that.
“If it wasn’t for the off the field issues, it would be Winston. But that is factoring into the decision that everybody is making and it’s factoring certainly into the decision that Tampa Bay has to make at No. 1.”
Below are the links to the previous stories.
Wednesday: Top 5 Inside Linebackers
Miami linebacker Denzel Perryman ,
Thursday: Top 5 defensive tackles
(Leonard Williams' Rugby skill will become handy in the NFL)
Friday: Top 5 defensive backs
Alabama's Landon Collins is the top safety prospect
Saturday: Top 5 special teamers
Dorsett, Alford could be top returners
Sunday: Top 5 edge rushers (defensive ends/outside linebackers).
Big Chuck Smith breaks down the top pass-rush prospects
Monday: Top 5 Offensive line
Georgia Tech's Shaquille Mason trying to convert to center for NFL
Tuesday: Top 5 Wide receivers
Georgia's Chris Conley now projects as a fourth-rounder
Wednesday, April 22: Top 5 Running backs
With clean bill of health, Gurley top running back in the draft
Thursday, April 23: Quarterbacks
Friday, April 24: Tight ends
ICYMI: Here's a link to last year's Position-by-Position series.
2. Prediction time: The schedule is out and some folks try to predict records.
Seems like a pretty futile exercise when we don't really know how's going to play left guard.
But go ahead and share your predicted records below.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
2. 50th season: The Falcons unveiled their 50th anniversary logo along with the 2015 schedule on Tuesday.
3. Godfather speaks: The Godfather Gill Brandt noted that the Falcons drafted future Hall of Famer Brett Favre 24 years ago (on Tuesday). Favre got into Jerry Glanville's doghouse and was traded to the Green Bay Packers, where Mike Holmgren, Sherman Lewis and Steven Mariucci whipped him into shape. Jon Gruden and Andy Reid were also on the offensive staff.
4, Flexible Scheduling: This is from Falcons PR on the schedule: For the second year, flexible scheduling may be applied in Weeks 5-10. During that period, flexible scheduling can be used in no more than two weeks by shifting a Sunday afternoon game into primetime and moving the Sunday night game to an afternoon start time.
Also, for the second year, a select number of games are being “cross-flexed,” moving between CBS and FOX to bring potentially under-distributed games to wider audiences.
“Flexible scheduling” will be used in Weeks 11-17 as it has been in recent years. In Weeks 11-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday, Saturday or Monday nights. A flexible scheduling move would be announced at least 12 days before the game.
CLICK HERE FOR LATEST VIDEO: D. Led: Dante Fowler Jr. Fits Falcons
5. Gruden on the tight ends: This is considered a poor draft for tight ends. The Falcons have checked out the top two in Minnesota's Maxx Williams and Miami's Clive Walford.
“There is not, that I can find, a true blocking tight end in this draft," Gruden said. "There is not a Jason Witten in this draft. Not on tape. . . .it’s getting tough.”
6. The book on Williams: ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay gave his assessment of Williams.
"I have a really good grade on him in terms of tangibles," McShay said. "Everyone that I’ve talked to around the program (tell me that) he knows what it takes to be a pro. Good work ethic. He comes from a good family."
Williams ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds at the combine.
"He wasn’t exceptional as far as his workout numbers," McShay said. "On tape, I don’t think he’s an exceptional play-maker....His unique trait is his ball skills. He attacks the ball with his hands. Very confident pass catcher. Long arms. Big catching radius.
"I don’t think he’s going to consistently be a down the seam 20-, 30-yard playmaker, but I do think he can occasionally provide that. I think...he’s going to develop into a good route runner and become a really solid starter in the league. As his blocking continues to improve, that will probably get him on the field more and more as his career progresses."
After Williams and Walford, there is a drop off at the position.
8. Send along your questions: General manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn will hold, per league media relations rules, their pre-draft meeting with the media on Friday.
Our task is to get you all some juicy pre-draft information. Their task is to try to tell us nothing while being nice.
Send along your questions, we'll try to get them to crack and provide the 40 times and background checks for all of the pass rushers in the draft.
9. Projected Depth Chart: Here's what my projected depth chart looks like heading into the draft.
DEFENSE
DE – Adrian Clayborn, Malliciah Goodman, Cliff Matthews
DT — Paul Soliai, Ricky Havili-Heimuli
DT -- Jonathan Babineaux, Tyson Jackson
DE — Ra’Shede Hagemen, Kroy Biermann, Stansly Maponga
SLB — Brooks Reed, Prince Shembo, Jacques Smith
MLB — Paul Worrilow, Nate Stupar
WLB — Justin Durant, O’Brien Schofield, Marquis Spruill/Joplo Bartu, Allen Bradford, Tyler Starr
LCB — Desmond Trufant, Jordan Mabin, Brandan Bishop
SS — William Moore, Kemal Ishmael, Sean Baker
FS – Dezmen Southward, Charles Godfrey
RCB — Robert Alford, Phillip Adams, Ricardo Allen
NCB — Phillip Adams, Ricardo Allen, Dezmen Southward
OFFENSE
WR — Roddy White, Leonard Hankerson, Freddie Martino, Nick Williams
TE — Levine Toilolo, Jacob Tamme, Tony Moeaki, Mickey Shuler, Kyle Miller
RT – Ryan Schraeder, Reid Fragel
RG — Jon Asamoah, Peter Konz
C — Joe Hawley, James Stone, Peter Konz
LG — Sam Baker, Mike Person, Harland Gunn, Adam Replogle
LT — Jake Matthews, Lamar Holmes
WR — Julio Jones, Devin Hester, Eric Weems, Bernard Reedy
FB — Patrick DiMarco
RB- — Devonta Freeman, Antone Smith, Jerome Smith, Ronnie Wingo
QB — Matt Ryan, T.J. Yates, Sean Renfree
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK — Matt Bryant
P — Matt Bosher
KR — Devin Hester, Eric Weems
PR — Devin Hester, Eric Weems
LS — Josh Harris
ATLANTA FALCONS 2015 DRAFT PICKS
First round: 8th overall selection
Second round: 42nd overall selection
Third round: 73rd overall selection
Fourth round: 107th overall selection
Fifth round: 146th overall selection
Sixth round: 185th overall selection
Seventh round: 225th overall selection
Seventh round: 249th overall selection*
*Pick is from New England through St. Louis
NFL DRAFT CORNER
D. Led's Mock 1.0: Falcons select Todd Gurley with 8th overall pick
Falcons set to work on Vic Beasley in Clemson
Stanford's James Vaughters to participate in Falcons' locals day
FALCONS COMBINE MEETINGS
Oregon DE Arik Armstead talked scheme with the Falcons
Falcons met with Alabama quarterback Blake Sims
Falcons to meet with Florida DE Dante Fowler Jr.
Falcons met with Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson
Falcons met with Alabama safety Landon Collins
COLLEGE PRO DAY VISITS
SOUTH CAROLINA: Ex-Gamecock Davis leans on brother for NFL help
SOUTH CAROLINA: RB Mike Davis (Stephenson High) has strong showing
GEORGIA: Todd Gurley reflects on his career in Athens
GEORGIA: Quarterack Hutson Mason has solid showing at Pro Day
GEORGIA: Chris Conley performed well in position drills
GEORGIA TECH: Synjyn Days hopes to run to daylight in NFL
GEORGIA TECH: VIDEO -- Head coach Paul Johnson
ALABAMA: Amari Cooper aiming to be top wide receiver in the draft
ALABAMA: VIDEO: Amari Cooper on his draft status
ALABAMA: Lineman Austin Shepherd has met with the Falcons
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