8. Clemson DE/LB Vic Beasley42. LSU CB Jalen Collins
73. Indiana RB Tevin Coleman
107. East Carolina WR Justin Hardy
137. Clemson DT Grady Jarrett
225. Eastern Washington OT Jake Rodgers
249. San Jose State DB Akeem King
Good Move - Many to mention but sitting tight in Round 1 to get a pass rusher saved several picks required to move up;
Vic Beasley was not expected to be available at #8 but the Redskins surprise selection of Brandon Scherff at #5 shuffled the pack suitably for Beasley to fall to the Falcons. Beasley will need to improve against the run and is likely a situational pass rusher in yr 1. However, he was arguably the best pass-rusher in college with 12 sacks and 21 TFL's in 2014 for Clemson. The pick couldn't have fell any kinder to both the Falcons who desperately need to engineer a pass-rush, or Beasley a lifelong Falcons fan who even attended the draft in Black and Red.
Bargain Pick - Grady Jarrett in the 5th round;
Possibly one of the bargain's of the entire draft. Graded as a probable 2nd round pick the Falcons traded up to the top of the 5th to snatch him. He'll contribute immediately and was terrific value. Great lineage for the Falcons too, his father is Falcons Ring of Honour Linebacker Jessie Tuggle.
The Falcons also fell lucky grabbing Tevin Coleman in the 3rd where many experts had him as the 3rd best back in the draft class.
Risk / Reward Gamble - Jalen Collins could be a classic boom or bust pick;
His selection in the 2nd round involves both an on-field risk (limited experience with only 10 starts in college) and off-field (3 failed drug tests in college). If Collins pans out it's seriously good value for a cornerback with 1st round talent and the size Coach Quinn covets.
Tell Me Why Again? - Not much to question with this draft class. It's surprising the Falcons would avoid Randy Gregory but feel confident with Jalen Collins, but to come out of the draft with 5 likely significant contributors as rookies is a coup for the organisation.
25. Washington LB Shaq Thompson
41. Michigan WR Devin Funchess
102. Oklahoma OT Daryl Williams
169. Texas State LB David Mayo
174. Auburn RB Cameron Artis-Payne
Good Move - Addressing the O-Line;
Daryl Williams was a need pick for the O-line and is a tough, gritty player who can spell time at both Guard and Tackle.
Bargain Pick - Cameron Artis-Payne led the SEC in rushing yards in 2014 and could contribute.
Risk / Reward Gamble - Shaq Thompson brings a unique skill set (even played RB for Washington) who could be a real playmaker in the right scheme. Undersized for LB, I see an ideal fit in a Charles Woodson type role, operating as a free roaming safety/LB given free rein to make plays.
Tell Me Why Again? - GM Dave Gettleman traded up twice to secure Funchess and Williams, surrendering 6 picks for these 2. Hard to criticise moving up to secure your main targets but losing multiple picks is a big price to pay on a team with many holes to fill. Top two picks are talented but with question marks on scheme fit and translating potential into performance respectively.
31. Clemson ILB Stephone Anthony
44. Washington OLB Hau'oli Kikaha
75. Colorado State QB Garrett Grayson
78. Florida State CB P.J. Williams
148. UT-Chattanooga OLB Davis Tull
154. Fresno State NT Tyeler Davison
167. Georgia DB Damian Swann
230. Missouri RB/KR Marcus Murphy
Good Move - Helping protect Drew Brees;
The pre-draft trade of Jimmy Graham netted the Saints Pro Bowl C Max Unger and they quickly added to this with Andrus Peat - possibly not the most glamorous draftee but one who will help transition this Saints team to a more physical, hard-nosed offense.
Bargain Pick - I really liked P.J Williams in 3rd round. He's a good press corner and an ideal fit for Rob Ryan's scheme. I had Williams as a 2nd round pick.
Risk / Reward Gamble - Noticeably "safe" character class from New Orleans. Davis Tull comes from a small school programme but was ultra productive in college. Can he handle the step-up?
Tell Me Why Again? - Solid if unspectacular draft with the Saints appeared to reach for needs; Stephone Anthony wasn't mentioned as a 1st round pick but went at #31. It pays to have a decent back-up when you have a 36-yr old QB, but 3rd round for Grayson seemed high to me. Is he really Brees heir apparent?
1. Florida State QB Jameis Winston
34. Penn State OT Donovan Smith
61. Hobart OG Ali Marpet
124. LSU OLB Kwon Alexander
162. Nebraska WR Kenny Bell
184. Utah KR Kaelin Clay
231. Hawaii FB Joey Iosefa
Good Move - Immediately drafting Offensive line help in Rounds 2 and 3 to protect their rookie QB;
If you're putting your franchise in the hands of a #1 pick you've got to make sure you keep him upright. Smith played LT in college but should slot in at RT and should Marpet make the leap from tiny Hobart to the pro's, he could start at Guard.
Bargain Pick - Kenny Bell in 5th Round;
Bell is the Cornhuskers all-time leading receiver and whilst not having the top-end measurables you would wish for in a #1 receiver, he has demonstrated productivity throughout his college career. He should be a reliable third or fourth receiver in his rookie year.
Risk / Reward Gamble - Selecting Jameis Winston #1 overall;
The success or failure of this draft class will start and stop with Winston. An intelligent QB from a pro-style offense, he owns an amazing win:loss record. The high ratio of interceptions can be explained away, it's Winston's off-field red flags which are the cause for most concern. Assuming he can avoid off-field "distractions", how Winston handles adversity (he will lose more games in his rookie year than he has combined in high school and college) will likely dictate how he performs in the NFL.
Tell Me Why Again? - A decent enough draft, but only one defensive player selected in the pool and Alexander is likely a back-up behind stand-out LB Lavonte David.
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