I'm not surprised by the cut, but couldn't Atlanta get *anything* for any of the players they've released this year?

No wonder why he dropped that much in this draft now...

Atlanta will henceforth boycott Pro Days at Virginia Tech.

...the highest-drafted player from that draft to be cut...

Until Winston Justice gets cut by Philly?

Hmmm... Vick, Hall, Williams... The Atlanta Chapter Of The Virginia Tech Alumni Association must be so proud.

Sorry - Justice was pick #39. My bad.

Still, Tech + ATL = Bad Idea.

I hope his Lamborghini is paid off.

"Williams also headlined a five-player draft class — the smallest in team history — that has not produced a full-time starter. That draft class followed the seven-player class of 2004, that has had six players either traded, released or not re-signed when their contracts expired. Wide receiver Michael Jenkins, the second of two first-round picks (Hall was the first) is the only player on Atlanta's roster from the '04 draft class."

That paragraph says alot about why the Falcons have struggled recently. Say what you want about Vick and Petrino, but it's hard to build anything when you draft 12 players and end up with only one mediocre starter.

Saying that the 2004 and 2006 Falcons drafts only produced one starter is a bit harsh.

2006
2 - Jimmy Williams, DB Virginia Tech
3 - Jerious Norwood, RB Mississippi State
5 - Quinn Ojinnaka, T Syracuse
6 - Adam Jennings, WR Fresno State
7 - D.J. Shockley, QB Georgia

2004
1 - DeAngelo Hall, DB Virginia Tech
1 - Michael Jenkins, WR Ohio State
3 - Matt Schaub, QB Virginia
4 - Demorrio Williams, LB Nebraska
5 - Chad Lavalais, DT Louisiana State
6 - Etric Pruitt, DB Southern Mississippi
7 - Quincy Wilson, RB West Virginia

The 2006 first round pick went for John Abraham, who has played well when healthy (all of 2007, half of 2006). While not a starter, it's hard to imagine an NFL team that wouldn't be happy to have Jerious Norwood on their roster.

From the 2004 class, Hall played well in Atlanta, Schaub gave a good return in trade, and Williams played decently at WLB until being lost in free agency.

In short, while better drafting wouldn't have hurt Atlanta, the picture isn't quite as bleak as the article claims.

Thanks for the perspective JAFF... reality checks like that are really helpful.

This is why I love this site...

#8
read the article again please (or just the quoted part from post #7). it only says that the 2006 draft class has only produced one starter (which is true). it states that the 2004 class features six players that were traded, released or not resigned when their contracts expired. this is all true and they aren't misrepresenting anything.

10, of course they are. They give true facts, but in a way that makes it appear as though Atlanta has been lousy at drafting. As soon as you present the same facts in a different way -a more complete way-, like #8 did, it's a whole different ball-game.

re #7:

No, it's all Michael Vick's fault

Thanks for the post, JAFF.

Etric Pruitt is a trip down memory lane. Going into Super Bowl XL, he was the sixth man in Seattle's already depleted secondary, which scared me off taking the points. Surely enough, Marquand Manuel got injured, and Pruitt was the player who took a bad angle at Willie Parker on Parker's 75 yard TD run.

My vague justification for all this is the fact that the first guy off the bench in Seattle's secondary was (Bills draftee and former 49er) Jimmy Williams.

Don't draft hot heads from Virginia Tech who don't want to practice/work hard. There is some much more to a player than what you see on tape/the combine. Talking with coaches/strength coaches and finding out the players work ethic/character can go miles.