The life of a Falcons fan is littered with draft cold takes

If you’re an NFL fan, and maybe especially a Falcons fan, you’ve had some enthusiastic draft takes over the years that have blown up in your face. We’ve all fallen in love with a player who didn’t pan out, griped loudly on the eternal archive of shame that is the internet about a future star we didn’t like at the time he was drafted, and so on.

Today’s question, as we gear up for another Falcons draft, is just this: What’s your favorite cold take, or strong draft opinion that simply didn’t pan out?

I’m most famous for the Glenn Dorsey over Matt Ryan take, of course, but I think the cold take that holds the most sway over me is the conviction that Peria Jerry was going to be good. While he was old for a rookie when the Falcons chose him, Jerry was having a promising first summer in Atlanta before a major injury knocked him out for the 2009 season. When he returned, he never looked like the same player again, and I guess it’s impossible to know whether that was entirely due to the injury, some combination of the injury or ability, or that first glimpse of Jerry just wasn’t the kind of player he was destined to become.

I still think about that take often, because I was very convinced Jerry was going to be at least a good starter in this league, and I’d give a lot to know what he would’ve looked like had he never gotten hurt.

What’s your “favorite” cold take you’ve had about a Falcons draft or draft pick over the years? This is a safe space.