No. 34

Pick by The Falcoholic Joe Flacco Quarterback Delaware

With the 34th overall selection in the 2008 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft, the Atlanta Falcons have finally addressed their quarterback issue by selecting Delaware gunslinger Joe Flacco.  Dave the Falconer, head honcho at The Falcoholic, made the selection and offers this analysis on his pick:

  No team wants a big, immobile quarterback sitting behind a horrendous offensive line. The Falcons lived through that nightmare scenario briefly last year with Byron Leftwich, and I'd prefer not to go down that road again.

That said, the Falcons just picked up an impact lineman in the first round in Jake Long and will likely follow with others in later rounds. With that in mind, it's time to draft a big, immobile quarterback!

Joe Flacco offers one of the strongest - if not the strongest - arm in the entire draft. He's also surprisingly accurate and blossomed last year, proving he has the football smarts to limit mistakes. The Delaware product is never going to burn you with his legs, but a classic quarterback is just what the Falcons need. By the time the 2009 season rolls around, the team should have a strong enough line to keep Flacco on his feet and doing what he does best: bombing passes downfield.

In my mind, Flacco is one of the best two or three players left at this point and fills a huge need for the Falcons. I couldn't be happier to make this oddly named quarterback our own.
 
Matt Miller, host of this site as well as owner of New Era Scouting, provides his analysis below:

What a steal for Atlanta. They wisely drafted Long in the first round, and now they have their quarterback of the future. Flacco may not be a Division 1 star, but he has the talent and tools to become a franchise quarterback. This pick, along with what Atlanta does at 37, will define their franchise.

Grade: A  ::  Joe Flacco Scouting Report - New Era Scouting :: Matt Miller's Top Five Prospects Remaining: 1.  LB Jerod Mayo, 2.  Kentwan Balmer, 3.  LB Shawn Crable, 4. RB Jamaal Charles, 5. WR Earl Bennett

We've got one more pick coming your way this afternoon, and it will be made by the folks out at Arrowhead Pride.  The Kansas City Chiefs are now on the clock.