Sports Page Atlanta

Well, it remains to be seen if Matt Ryan will play on the field like Peyton Manning. But, off the field Ryan is joining Manning as a spokesman for AirTran.

AirTran has contracts with about 15 NFL players, Hutcheson said, to appear in advertising in local markets. The lineup includes quarterbacks Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles and two other Falcons players, linebacker Keith Brooking and receiver Brian Finneran.

As I posted earlier, Matt Ryan signed a six-year contract with the Falcons in the amount of $72 million. You can see his press conference at the Atlanta Falcons media lounge.

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Falcons first round pick (#3 overall), Matt Ryan, signed a six-year deal with the club. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the Falcons have announced a press conference for 8:00 PM tonight to discuss the deal.

Ryan is only the second 1st round draft choice from this season to sign a contract with the team that drafted him. Typically, first round picks wait longer to sign trying to maximize financial aspects in their negotiations. In fact, no first rounder signed before July 3rd last season.

This is a fantastic sign for both the Falcons and Matt Ryan as he’ll have ample time now to learn the system and compete for the starting job from day one.

Matt Ryan was the 3rd pick overall in the draft this season.

Here are 2 more facts that he is number 3 in…

He is 3rd in BC history with 9,313 career passing yards (behind Doug Flutie and Glenn Foley.)

But even crazier… Ryan is the 3rd player ever that the Falcons have ever drafted from Boston College. You have to go back to 1977 when Atlanta drafted John Maxwell in the 9th round for the last time a Boston College player got drafted by he Falcons. The other player was Mike Esposito who was selected in the 7th round in 1975.

After day one of the NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons added 3 players (Matt Ryan, Sam Baker and Curtis Lofton.)

The Falcons had options, but selected Ryan as the 3rd pick overall. The Boston College quarterback was 7th in the Heisman voting last year and was the ACC Player of the Year. He had 34 career starts and 56 career TD passes.

After making a few trades, Atlanta moved up to get the 21st overall pick where they selected an offensive tackle from Southern Cal named Sam Baker. He was a 3-time All-American for the Trojans.

With the Falcons 2nd round pick (37th overall) Atlanta got linebacker Curtis Lofton from Oklahoma. Lofton was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winner.

More complete analysis on the Falcons draft will come shortly…

Does everyone realize that the NFL Draft is this weekend? It’s right around the corner. I did some looking around at mock drafts, and came up with this. Nobody is certain what will happen at the #3 slot when the Atlanta Falcons pick. Here’s a look at ten mock drafts from around the internet, and a sneak peek at who Atlanta will take.

• Walter Football -  Jake Long, OT, Michigan
• NFL Draft Countdown - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
• Draft King - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
• NFL Network - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
• FF Toolbox - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
• Football’s Future - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
• NFL Draft Dog - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
• The Football Expert - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
• The NFL Draft Site - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
• EMQB - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College

So, Dorsey and Ryan both take 40% of the votes here with McFadden and Long getting 10%. I’ll keep updating mock draft results as the week goes on. Until then, go read the write-ups at these sites. Some are very, very good.

photo credit: benostrander

Alright Falcons fans, those brave few left who haven’t pawned off their season tickets for a six pack and court-side seats to the Hawks’ Playoff thumping by the Celtics. Yes I am writing this before the playoffs begin, but lets be honest Atlanta, the Hawks have about as much chance against the Celts as Dolph Lundgren would in another Rocky sequel. So now to what you’ve all been waiting for…The Falcons Do’s and Don’t’s come draft time. Here are their needs, and a brief analysis of why Kiper, Mcshay, every other ESPN pundit and you (YES YOU) are wrong!!! Unless of course you agree with me!

Let me start off by saying that I am not a Falcons fan. Sorry, but hey, maybe an objective, unbiased, unVicked, opinion is what you’re looking for. If not, oh well, you’re gonna finish reading my article anyway. Over the next few days, check back with the site here and see my take on the players that might be available to Atlanta at the #3 pick in the draft.

Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College: NOOOOOOOOO, are you serious guys? I mean really? Yes I know he’s a winner, a locker room guy, a good citizen, with a decent arm, decent decisions, and a fairly good attempt/completion/interception ratio. Sound like a franchise QB yet? Didn’t think so! Yes he is the best QB in the draft, Yes Atlanta desperately needs a QB, and yes I even think he could develop into a franchise QB in the right system with a couple (read: at least two) full seasons on the bench to learn from a mentor/coach. Are any of these things going to happen in Atlanta? Nope, Ryan will be dropped off in the middle of a MASSACRE (his own). If Ryan is drafted and plays (which he will if drafted by Falcons) he will spend more time on his back than?

A. Colt Brennan in the Sugar Bowl.
B. David Carr (career)
C. Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.
D. All of the Above

The answer is D sports fans. I don’t care how many intangibles Ryan has. The only tangible I’m worried about is Matt, and behind this “h(O)le-line” he’ll be very VERY tangible (read: record for sacks in a single season). I don’t care if you put Peyton Manning behind this line, they’re not making the playoffs. So why waste a franchise pick only to get him beat up so bad his mom won’t be able to kiss it and make it better? I mean he’ll have NO help. The Falcons released their best receiver (Crumpler) and White and Jenkins, while having made strides (finally) last year. They stil are only a 2 and 3 option, at best. The only play he’d want to run is Norwood left, then Norwood right, then shotgun two step drop a pray on a slant, then punt. Sound like fun Atlanta? Didn’t think so.

As you can obviously see I am terribly against this pick, more so than any of the other possibilities for the Falcons in the first round. Ryan is a solid talent, but so are Henne, Falco, and Brohm who will all be available in the second round. In all honesty I’m normally for drafting need in the first round and then best player available after that (unless something silly happens) but the Falcons are in the (un)fortunate situation where there are so many needs they can just pick the best player on the board and be done with it right? Exactly, and in anyone’s honest opinion is Matt Ryan the third best player in this draft? I don’t think so either, so, let me leave you with a quote from my friend (and perennial and current season ticket holder) Bobby: “If we draft *bleeping* Matt Ryan with that *bleeping* pick you’re gonna see me on the news later that night!”