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The Falcons drafted Vic Beasley to be a game-changing presence for their pass rush. The early hype that's accompanying the selection suggests that others see that impact coming in year one for the talented Clemson product.
Danny Kelly at SB Nation runs down some likely contenders for both offensive and defensive rookies of the year, and comes to the conclusion that Beasley was an amazing fit for Atlanta (yes) and a strong ROtY candidate (also yes):
Vic Beasley
Beasley goes to a great fit in Atlanta, where he'll get personal coaching and direction from head coach Dan Quinn, a defensive line guy at heart. Beasley has freak athleticism, scary explosive attributes and consistently gets a great jump off the snap. Like Fowler, he'll get plenty of one-on-ones on the tackle outside because of a strong interior line with Paul Soliai and Ra'Shede Hageman. While they demand more double teams, Beasley can go to work.
Also important: the Falcons don't exactly have a long list of pass rushers available at the moment, so Beasley should get plenty of snaps.
All of this is true. The Falcons will more or less have to feature Beasley, who is one of the few truly disruptive players on the roster today. If the team can get enough out of the rest of the line up front, there's little question Beasley will be able to use his speed in ways that are dangerous and/or make our hearts flutter.
My pick:
I'm going to go with Vic Beasley, who I think is a perfect match for Atlanta and Dan Quinn's scheme. He'll get after the quarterback a lot.
The key for Beasley is opportunity. He'll be playing from day one, he'll be installed in a role that emphasizes his strengths and Dan Quinn and company will certainly be tailoring the defense around his ability to bend the edge. The numbers are going to come along with that, so Beasley certainly has a chance to take the NFL by storm and win the honor. There are no guarantees in the NFL, of course, but there's little reason to think Beasley will be out of the mix.
Go read the full article to see who Kelly picked for offensive rookie of the year, and then enjoy the warm and fuzzy feelings that come with this piece.