How do you feel about drafting Maurkice Pouncey?
by durst on Mar 13, 2010 10:43 AM EST
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A recent mock draft in the Atlanta Journal Constitution has the Falcons taking the center out of the University of Florida with our 1st round pick.
The following is from D. Orlando Ledbetter
Dimitroff made it clear that the Falcons are a “needs based” drafting team. They know that center Todd McClure, who turned 33 in February, can’t play forever. So the decision will come down to either getting the McClure replacement or a linebacker for Mike Peterson, who will turn 34 in June.
With the 19th pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons, in a surprise move, will select Florida center Maurkice Pouncey over Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. In Pouncey, the Falcons would get the top center in the draft, McClure’s eventual replacement and long-term protection for Matt Ryan.
Other than Ledbetter, perhaps the highers on Pouncey would be National Football Posts Wes Bunting who has him going to the Giants with the 15th pick in the draft.
Pouncey starter his Gator career as a right guard. He started 11 games that year and was only the seventh Gator to start opening day his freshman year. I'd say that is significant coming from a powerhouse program like Florida. After his freshman year, he became the starter at center and immediately was dominant. He started every game including the national championship, and he wasn't finished. He was amazing his final year. He was flawless against LSU in one of the Gators' most important games of the year. He ended up being a first team All-American and won the Rimington Trophy which is awarded to the best center in the country. He decided he had enough of the college thing and went pro after his junior year.
This FanPost was written by one of The Falcoholic's talented readers. It does not necessarily reflect the views of The Falcoholic.
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Pouncey
Steelers are going to select Pouncey at #18.
When was the last time
He snapped the ball to a QB not in the shotgun? I don’t recall Tebow ever being under center.
That concerns me a bit. When you play the game a certain way for four years, it’s hard to change some habits.
I think we’ll draft Ryan’s old college center later on in the draft instead of taking an OL in the first.
"Ryan, under center. Single receiver set, time on his side. Ryan, gonna throw. First professional pass.....CAUGHT!! Jenkins! 30! 25! 20! 15! 10! 5! He lives in Atlanta!!!" -Wes Durham
Mayhaps he'll demonstrate his new reconstructed snapping motion at Tebow's I mean Florida's pro day.
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No, you meant Tebow's
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by Dave Choate on Mar 16, 2010 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Stuff like this
makes me nervous. I really want Weatherspoon. And if not him Graham. Those are my two guys and I will be very dissapointed if we dont get ’em.
I agree with Zippo, we will get Ryan’s ex-teammate not this guy. At least I hope so.
Australian Atlanta Falcons Fan EST 2003
Tennant?
Is that who your referring to? I can’t remember what college he played center for but am pretty sure on the name. Could someone get back to me on this one?
Arbitrary, anti-climactic and plain old buzzkill.
Well maybe not so bad but I think it may be a later round project. We really need to hit a home run with that first round pick. An heir apperent for MP. Again I shall say Spooooooooooon!!!!
If we don’t pull the trigger on that guy the Saints will and that would &$@! me off.
Rule #1: Double tap.
by Ball Hawk on Mar 14, 2010 12:45 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
19 is too high...
I’d rather wait til next year and take Rodney Hudson…
"If lessons were learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education." -Murray Warmath
He is a nice talent. But I never felt we needed a starting Center this year, which is why I’ve been on the Matt Tennant bandwagon (we’d take him him high enough but not with a 1st or 2nd rounder, and yes I know we dont have a 2nd, yet).
If its along the OL, there are only 3 choices that I’m really high on that have the chance to be available. Iupati, Campbell and Bulaga. I do not think the two tackles will fall to the falcons at 19, but I sure would love for them too.
The Falcons OL played admirably but we need competition at Guard to keep everyone playing at their best, we need depth at tackle (which we’d get in loads by adding a starter!) and we will need a new center soon.
All that said, I still would rather get a defensive front 7 with the front pick. Can’t wait for April.
Front seven with...
the first pick… not front pick. Sometimes I suck at this grammar and wordage thing!
If Bulaga is there at #19, I’d hope they would jump on him. If he’s not, I wouldn’t have a problem with Pouncey. He could be the heir-apparent at C and provide competition at Guard.
Also, I thought Tennant was projecting as a late 2nd rounder – I’m not expecting him to be around at #83.
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
Tennant’s projection is all over the place (rounds 2-4, and that’s a huge window). I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s off the board, but in other posts I listed 2 additional thoughts about other Center options beyond Tennant (Olsen for one). I just really like Tennant’s value in the mid 3rd round.
I would love to believe that we would jump on Bulaga should he fall or Campbell, but I can’t say for sure we would pick either of them even if they were there, its just what I’d like. Just so long as we don’t take Anthony Davis.
Pouncey is a great pick for teams that need a starting Center and I bet he’s good for a long time. At the 19th pick, I’d rather the Falcons take Iupati to play OG then Pouncey to play OG till McClure retires though.
Yeah, I agree that OG/RT may be a more immediate need. Blalock, Dahl, and Clabo are all on the final year of their contracts in 2010 (unless they sign extensions, of course), and could probably be upgraded anyway (especially Blalock, IMO). I just meant I wouldn’t be upset if the pick was Pouncey.
Q: Why so high on Campbell, but so down on Davis? I’ve seen up & down scouting reports on both, but nothing to make me feel that strongly about either one…
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
I’ve read many scouting reports and every single one of them said Davis has a questionable work ethic. And to back it up, his agility that he was so lauded for at Rutgers was totally missing on the most important weekend of promoting the rest of his life (the combine). I can’t see giving someone millions of dollars will improve this very negative trait!
I love high motor guys. I want to see guys that will work to be the best, not just go through the motions and ride their past accomplishments/talent. I don’t get the vibe from Davis that he’s going to put that kind of work in, thus why I would rather not see the falcons pick him up. Just like Joe Haden. While he was lights out on many drills, he also showed his complete lack of preparation (i.e. 40 form and speed) and it was much the talk of all the sports blog world.
And I’m not “High” on Campbell, no where in what I’ve said suggested I was high. You could question why I’m so high on Bulaga with his midget arms but not Campbell. I mention him as a possibly slider but that’s about it.
For years I’ve “loved” various talents in the first round that the Falcons could of taken but they didn’t and I don’t expect this year to be any different. I just love the speculation and the game that is the draft!
Gotcha. I just assumed you were high on Campbell because you hoped he might “fall” to us – NFLDraftScout has him as the #36 prospect, even after his great combine.
And I thought Haden had a minor back injury or something that prevented him from running fast (of course, that could’ve been his agent putting out excuses). Maybe he will run better at Florida’s Pro Day (isn’t that tomorrow?), but 4.58 doesn’t scare me for a zone CB anyway*. If he somehow slid all the way down to #19, I hope Dimitroff would seriously think about taking him.
*Christopher Owens ran a 4.51 at the Combine (faster at his Pro Day / private workout). Also, according to Wikipedia, Chevis Jackson ran a 4.12 at the combine (pretty sure it was actually 4.57/4.58).
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
Yeah but many many other sites have Campbell as the number two Tackle and some have him lower. He’s got everything to be a good tackle, just needs solid coaching now.
As for Haden, I’m just being picky. I don’t like high profile CB’s in the first round usually. Also, I feel that if you have a flaw in your game and its found out (it was obviously glaring), you fix it. you have weeks before the combine to learn how to do whatever it is you’re not doing well. And, well, he didn’t even come close. In all fairness though, no one lines up to run a 40 in an NFL game and Haden’s play was lights out at UF and his specific skill set drills were lights out too. But I just wanted to throw a jab at him, never thought I’d get called on it =)
Called on it? Nah… That’s part of the fun of draft time. Trust me, I have plenty of guys I love/hate, and plenty of them are for reasons that don’t even have anything to do with football (dude’s name is Seyi Ajirotutu??! Please PLEASE draft him in the 5th/6th round, Mr. Dimitroff!)
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
lupati
would be my first choice at our pick.
I won’t be upset with any pick we chose because i know the comrade has a plan for all contingencies.
I am not as sold on the idea of defensive needs as most though.
We saw what happened when matty ice was down and i want him protected to the max or have a quality backup QB that will win more games than losses.
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