There’s a strong case to be made that the Falcons passed on a chance to fill their biggest need in the first round of the NFL draft. But there’s just as strong a case to be made they probably took the better player available.
Let the second-guessing begin.
Needing to fill a void at defensive tackle and looking at an obvious candidate in Florida’s Taven Bryan with the 26th pick in Thursday’s first round, the Falcons passed on the more obvious choice and instead opted to improve their second-biggest need: wide receiver.
Seven years after jumping up in the first round to take Alabama’s Julio Jones, the Falcons sat patiently at 26th and had another former Crimson Tide star fall in their lap: Calvin Ridley. So while a gaping hole at defensive tackle remains, the need for a third receiving threat is more than satisfied.
“We definitely had both of those guys in our sights, and they’re both very good football players,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said, alluding to Ridley and Bryan. “In the end, we decided to go offense.”
That was a departure for the Falcons. In their first three drafts since hiring coach Dan Quinn, the Falcons took defensive players with their first pick: edge rusher Vic Beasley in 2015, safety Keanu Neal in 2016 and defensive lineman Takk McKinley last year.
Asked if picking an offensive player first was tough, Quinn, a defensive coach by trade, smiled and said, “It wasn’t, not in this case. When this opportunity came up, we thought it was the best one for the team. But I recognize the question.”
He also believes the Falcons will be able to find a defensive tackle in the second or third round: “It’s a deep draft so we thought we had some (flexibility).”
Ridley totaled 224 receptions and 19 touchdowns in three seasons in Tuscaloosa. His strength is his route running, as well as his speed. If he has a weakness, it’s that he dropped 20 passes in three seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, his drop rate ranked 111th in the draft class.
He’s also close friends with Jones. That can’t hurt, if for no other reason than osmosis. Maybe Ridley can help solve some of the problems the Falcons’ offense suffered last season under first-year coordinator Steve Sarkisian. It’s worth noting Sarkisian also spent a season with Ridley at Alabama as a consultant and offensive coordinator (for one game) before coming to the Falcons. He gave Ridley a strong endorsement to Quinn and Dimitroff.
Ridley on Sarkisian: “He was real cool. He was trying to get me that ball before he left.”
(Georgia fans, you may want to skip the next paragraph.)
If you’re looking for positive foreshadowing, here it is: Ridley’s final college game was the national championship against Georgia in Mercedes Benz Stadium, the home of the Falcons. He caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with 3:49 left in the fourth quarter to tie the Bulldogs 20-20. The Crimson Tide won in overtime 26-23. Ridley finished the game with four catches for 32 yards.
(Georgia fans, you can resume reading below.)
Ridley can start in the slot with Jones and Mohamed Sanu in the Falcons’ three-receiver sets, but he’ll also play some on the outside, according to Quinn.
Dimitroff explored what it would take to move up about 10 picks -- probably a second-rounder -- on the chance that most of their preferred players began flying off the board. When it was clear three or four would make it down the road, Dimitroff backed off and never made a trade proposal.
He said he did not yet have a specific player in mind when he explored trade possibilities, denying he was necessarily going after highly regarded Alabama defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne (who went 13th to Washington). Bryan ultimately was taken 29th by Jacksonville.
The Falcons need to improve the defensive line. They have lost both starting defensive tackle Dontari Poe (Carolina) and end Adrian Clayborn (New England). They’re counting on defensive tackle Jack Crawford coming back from a torn bicep, but he’s probably better as a rotation player than a starter.
With Beasley and McKinley at defensive end and Grady Jarrett inside, Bryan seemed like the perfect fit at 26th.
If Ridley develops as a pro and the Falcons can find another lineman, all will be fine. But if the void left by Poe’s departure remains, the Falcons will have problems on their defensive front.
Earlier: Mike Budenholzer quit on rebuild, Hawks need to find right coach now
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