SB Nation Writers Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick #24

by Dan Kadar on Apr 1, 2009 6:00 PM EDT in SB Nation Writers Mock Draft

No. 24

ATLANTA
FALCONS
Pick by The Falcoholic

James Laurinaitis
Middle linebacker
Ohio State

With offense intended toward no one else, Dave the Falconer fromThe Falcoholic has probably the best name in the entire SB Nation. Let's see if his pick explanation is as heroic as his name.

The Falcons are in a bit of a no-man's land with this pick. With most of the top outside linebackers and defensive tackles off the board, it fell to me to select someone who could immediately upgrade the defense. I rejected cornerbacks, given that we have one of the youngest corps in the league already, and all the defensive tackles and safeties left were borderline first rounders at best. Tough choice.

In the end, I went with Laurinaitis. A highly decorated college player, Laurinaitis eats a bowl of nails and fire for breakfast every morning and tops it off with a cold glass of motor oil. This tough choice is a tough kid, no doubt. We have our middle linebacker of the future in Curtis Lofton, so I would fully anticipate that the fast-learning Laurinaitis would move to the outside.

He doesn't have elite strength, but I fully believe he has the speed, intelligence and tackling ability to make that transition work.

Admittedly, the first two guys--Clint Sintim and Larry English--I would've picked here are already gone. While there may be players with higher upside, they don't play a position of needs for a Falcons defense that is still finding its identity. I'm a big believer in building a potent linebacking corps, and I do believe Laurinaitis will be a big part of that.

MTD thoughts: This is a good pick, considering the players left on the board. What will make it a successful would be determined by how well Laurinaitis can make the shift to playing weak-side linebacker. He's just not big enough for the strong side.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - CB Vontae Davis, RB Chris Wells, QB Mark Sanchez, DE Michael Johnson, RB LeSean McCoy

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Comments

All five of the players I’d like to see the Ravens draft that could potentially fall to the Ravens are still there! And Sanchez hasn’t even been drafted yet. This is an impressive situation.

I think I’m learning that SB fans are fairly risk averse. They love linebackers, who are the safest picks in the first round, but don’t like QBs who are the most risky. Wonder how that strategy compares in “value” to what the GMs do, but it’s virtually impossible to measure value across positions and schemes in the NFL.

by math_geek on Apr 1, 2009 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

Not quite the 5 of 5 you have

but I’ll take 3 of 5 with 2 picks to go, but I’m not the one making the pick so I’d prefer if none of them came off the board (which won’t happen because Rexx <3 Hakeem Nicks).

I got Summer hatin' on me cuz I'm hotter than the sun. Spring hatin' on me cuz I ain't never sprung
Winter hatin' on me cuz I'm colder than Y'all. And I will never, I will never, I will never Fall.
-Lil Wayne, Mr. Carter

by shake n bake on Apr 1, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah, I'm not the one making the pick either (OBV)

And the Phins could totally take Nicks, as they need a WR too.
But I think at this point you almost have to peg them with Vontae Davis

by math_geek on Apr 1, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah I'd call the next 3 picks as

Davis, Nicks, Hood.

by shake n bake on Apr 1, 2009 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions

and then

Britton.

I have a decent amount of confidence in that set of 4.

by shake n bake on Apr 1, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions

sounds about right to me

“Ziggy” to Indy is possibly the only pick I would bet money on in real life. It makes too much sense not to happen, only danger is the Ravens trading down so someone else can take him.

I’m not super sure what the Eagles are going to do… after Donald Brown, all bets are off.

by math_geek on Apr 1, 2009 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions

RB, Tackle and TE are the only things I've seen given to them

but I don’t hang out at their site so I don’t know who they like.

by shake n bake on Apr 1, 2009 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Andy Reid does like his linemen

by math_geek on Apr 1, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes!!!!

I’m a Saints fan by the way. How could they not draft Vontae to try and stop Brees.

by T-Money on Apr 1, 2009 6:42 PM EDT reply actions

Because we have a lot of young, talented cornerbacks

And a gutted linebacking corps. Our secondary will be better if our pass rush improves, no doubt.

by Dave Choate on Apr 1, 2009 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ve been wondering where Laurinaitis would go. I’ve seen mock drafts that have him anywhere from around this pick all the way until the mid second round. It’s odd to see a guy that there doesn’t seem to be a great consensus on.

I think he’s a good fit in the ATL.

Bleeding Green Nation - Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 2, 2009 12:36 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks!

He’s a guy who had been off and on my radar, but I’d be pretty happy with this pick come draft day.

by Dave Choate on Apr 2, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions

It seems in recent drafts that there is always a tough linebacker that half the mocks have going in the mid-late first round. Come draft day, they always fall. Remember Dan Conner and Paul Posluszny? This is what I expect to happen with Laurinaitis as well, I see him going in the middle of the 2nd round.

Not to say the value of the pick here isn’t decent, I just expect him to fall on draft day.

by Clyde Simmons on Apr 2, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions