00:00The Atlanta Falcons, we're going to play a process of elimination game here
00:03with the 48th overall pick.
00:06And I wrote this up kind of bit by bit because you start with every position
00:13and then we're going to whittle it down.
00:15So right now you'll pick 48 overall in the second round, as we all know.
00:20That's your top selection.
00:21And I think there are legitimately a variety of options.
00:25I think in previous years there's been like they're either going to go this or this or this.
00:32Maybe three options.
00:34Some years it's been less.
00:35I mean, I think last year you had no options, right?
00:38It was just you're taking a pass rusher.
00:39End of story.
00:41I don't know how you made an argument elsewhere.
00:43And ultimately they did.
00:45They took two.
00:47Years before it was, all right, you're either going to take a running back or a pass rusher.
00:51You're either going to take a quarterback or a pass rusher or maybe a receiver.
00:56You're either going to take a lot of options, though, this year.
01:02And part of that is because you're at 48.
01:05And part of that is because there is no just general, this guy's an immediate starter
01:10that you're thrusting into an area of need because you're so far down.
01:14So let's start here.
01:18What are the offensive positions that you cannot, under nearly any circumstance, see
01:26the Falcons taking at 48?
01:29Now you got right tackle, right guard, center, left guard, left tackle, quarterback, running
01:33back, wide receiver, tight end.
01:36I cannot see them taking a right guard.
01:39Chris Lindstrom's there.
01:40I cannot see them taking a left tackle.
01:43Not at 48.
01:44Jake Matthews is there.
01:46There, there, there, there's no shot.
01:47They take a quarterback.
01:49It just can't happen.
01:51Uh, I don't think they're drafting running back and I don't think they're taking a tight
01:54end.
01:55Now I'm not to say they won't take one of those positions a little bit deeper in the
01:58draft.
01:59I'd be okay.
02:00If you take an offensive lineman a little bit later, if you want to get a third running
02:03back a little bit later, or even an extra tight end, I just don't know if I'm doing
02:07it at 48.
02:08So what does that leave you?
02:10That leaves you right tackle, which I had to change the segment and add that yesterday.
02:16Thanks a lot, Caleb.
02:18Uh, right tackle, center, left guard, or wide receiver.
02:23Those are your offensive options.
02:25What about on defense?
02:27What are the positions you cannot under nearly any circumstance see them taking?
02:31You got defensive tackle, defensive end slash pass rusher, linebacker, safety, cornerback.
02:37I don't think they would draft a safety, but I do think every other position is, is potentially
02:46up for discussion.
02:47Defensive tackle, defensive end, linebacker, cornerback.
02:55And so you've got what?
02:56One, two, three, four on offense, four on defense.
02:59So let's go through this.
03:05It's a combination of need, best player available, draft depth.
03:20And there's eight positions, four on offense, four on defense, up for grabs.
03:29Where are you set because of free agency?
03:36I'm taking wide receiver off the board.
03:39I don't know if I can justify taking receiver at 48 when you add Johan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus.
03:45You have Drake London and, and Kyle Pitts is involved in the pass game as well.
03:51I'm taking wide receiver off the board and I'm taking linebacker off the board.
03:57Christian Harris has been added.
03:59Cameron Thomas has been added.
04:01Channing Tindall's been added.
04:04Samson, Evacom, and Aziz Ojolari.
04:09So, as we continue breaking down what's up for grabs, we're now down to six positions.
04:18Right tackle, center, left guard, defensive end, defensive tackle, and cornerback.
04:34I'm going to take a couple more off the board.
04:36I'm going to take two positions off the board here.
04:38I ask myself, what's not a true need?
04:44What is not a desperate attempt to find a starter right now?
04:53Left guard.
04:55Left guard.
04:56We spoke with Joe Patrick yesterday.
04:57Matthew Bergeron, I thought, took a step back in year two.
05:00But I think you could get by with what he provides you.
05:05And so, I'm taking left guard off the table.
05:08If your worst case scenario is you don't grab a guard at 48 and you're, quote, forced
05:15to start the year with Matthew Bergeron, I think you're absolutely fine.
05:20And look, there's a chance he returns back to his rookie year for him.
05:24That's the hope.
05:27Everyone says we've upgraded offensive line coaches to one of the best in history, Bill
05:31Callahan.
05:33So, let's see.
05:34So, I'm taking that off the board.
05:38And then, look, I would love to see the team improve at the cornerback position.
05:43I would.
05:46And maybe this, you know, maybe this is a bit strong, but I've taken it off the board.
05:52I can survive this season if I'm told what you have on the roster now at corner is what
05:59you have.
06:04And so, we're down to four positions.
06:08You know, I just realized this.
06:10I didn't look at this before.
06:11I did my own research, and I didn't realize this.
06:14We're down to four positions.
06:16It's all on the line.
06:17Offensive line or defensive line.
06:19And that is not, that was not on purpose.
06:23That was not, this is just how it unraveled.
06:26When I ruled out cornerback, it's offensive line or defensive line.
06:32And look, I probably could argue that maybe the discussion around the center position is
06:39the same as it is with left guard.
06:41Worst case scenario, if it's Ryan Nuzel, you're probably surviving the season.
06:46But in my opinion, that's a spot that needs to be upgraded.
06:52I had to add right tackle to this discussion in the last 48 hours.
06:58Caleb McGarry retires.
06:59You had Juwan Taylor.
07:01I don't know enough about Juwan Taylor and his level of performance recently and what
07:07to expect.
07:08And so, if you told me that you drafted at 48 a right tackle with the intent of having
07:14him compete for the job or if he needs to sit a year behind Taylor, Storm Norton, whatever
07:20it is, and learn, I understand that.
07:23So, right tackle and center along the offensive line.
07:27And then, I think the defensive line positions are obvious.
07:31Defensive tackle, defensive end.
07:34Got to beef up the inside.
07:37I would love to be doing that in the first round.
07:39I would love to be taking a first round DT.
07:44I just don't know what you're getting at 48 at that point.
07:48And same for the edge rusher, same for the defensive end.
07:51I don't know what you're getting at 48.
07:53I think with the James Pierce thing kind of still up in the air, I don't think you're
07:59ever going to hear me say, don't draft pass rushers.
08:03You have enough.
08:06Just ever.
08:08You can always have more.
08:11I mean, I look at the San Francisco 49ers over the past couple of seasons and how many
08:16pass rushers they've added.
08:17I was like, boy, I can't believe they're adding another.
08:19Guess what?
08:20Injury.
08:20Injury.
08:21Injury.
08:22Injury.
08:22They got at the end of the season.
08:24They didn't have any pass rushers.
08:26So you can never have enough pass rush.
08:29But I do think this team probably could get by with the edge rushers they have.
08:34I think they need more on the inside.
08:38And so if I were making the decision, and I'm not, if I were making the decision, I'm
08:46either taking someone in the middle of your offensive line, the best center available, who becomes
08:53a starter, or someone in the middle of your defensive line, the best defensive tackle available,
09:00someone who can create and collapse a pocket, but who also is a run stopper, who also is
09:06a space eater.
09:07Maybe he forces some double teams, maybe he forces some double teams, a difference maker.
09:12It's where it kills you to have no first round pick.
09:14You could find these things.
09:16You could find these things, man.
09:18I don't know if you could find them at 48.
09:20And that's why, despite me suggesting it's either one of these offensive or defensive
09:28line positions, I wouldn't be surprised if they take receiver.
09:32I wouldn't be surprised if they take a cornerback.
09:40And Ian Cunningham has said this whole time, best player available.
09:46And I look, I know they say that it's never really just like blindly best player available.
09:51If Ty Simpson falls to 48 somehow, and he's on their board, they're not taking him.
09:56So like, it's not best player available.
09:59It's best player available that makes even a little bit of sense.
10:03Okay.
10:07And I think you can make arguments for a lot of different players, a lot of different
10:11positions.
10:11But if you want to combine best player available with the obvious team needs, my opinion at
10:18center, defensive tackle.
10:22If you want to hit me up on Twitter, let me know on X where you stand in regards to
10:27if
10:29there's one position on offense, one position on defense that you would be most okay with
10:33them drafting.
10:34Let me know what it is.
10:36And we're talking about just that 48 in the second round.
10:38Anything after that, I think it's fair game at all of these positions.
10:42But if you're at 48, what's the one offensive and one defensive position you can argue and
10:49defend this team taking?
10:51For me, it's center or defensive tackle.
10:55I could definitely make arguments for others, but that's where my mind is at right now.
10:59The Kayla McGarry thing definitely changed that.
11:02Certainly if they hadn't added Juwan Taylor, it would just be like hard, right tackle, right
11:07tackle, right tackle.
11:09But we're going to give it a go there, I guess.
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