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The New Face of the Falcons Franchise
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Written by Bryan Palmese
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Tuesday, 29 April 2008 10:48
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Looking to wipe the slate clean from the Michael Vick Era the Atlanta Falcons make Matt Ryan the third pick in the 2008 draft.
 Photo Credit: Collegiate Images
The Falcons had a couple of options with their selection at #3 and decided drafting a franchise quarterback was the better choice than bringing in a "Warren Sapp" type of defensive tackle to anchor the defensive line. The drop-off from Ryan to the next tier of signal callers was too much of a gamble for GM Tom Dimitroff so he tabbed the young gun with his first selection as Atlanta's new Head Honcho.
The quarterback position is the de facto leader on the field and in the huddle, so a clear head and a strong mental make-up is crucial when choosing one in the draft. Many coaches and scouts agree that the former Boston College Eagle excels in these areas and that they are, in fact, his top traits. Images of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Johnny Unitas and their solid quarterback intellect come to mind. No one is trying to jinx the rookie by heaping too much pressure on him, but his swagger and production are impressive. Anyone that saw Ryan take the BC Eagles on his shoulders and overcome a 10-0 deficit with 4:10 left in the game versus 8th ranked Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, would know what this player is capable of. The game he had against Georgia Tech, ranked in the top-20 at the time, was what put him on the map as one of the top quarterbacks in the country.
The nickname Matty Ice was thrown out there because he remains cool under pressure. “Panic”, “nervous”, and “jittery” are not even in his vocabulary. With a huge playbook to digest and the elite of the elite in defensive players coming at you every week, Ryan will have to live up to this moniker. In addition to being a natural leader, he possesses a high football I.Q. He has a good clock in his head as far as knowing when to let go of the ball and knows when to get out of the pocket. Ryan has good placement as well as touch on the ball, though he can sometimes throw the ill-advised pick. Just like the great signal callers previously mentioned, he can dissect a defense by the time the ball is snapped. Another positive characteristic to help expedite the learning process in Atlanta is the fact that he played in a pro-set offense at Chestnut Hill. This will help lessen the gap between college and the NFL, one that often hinders a quarterback’s progression.
Matt Ryan is not perfect; in fact, several scouts have said that no quarterback in this draft class is on the level of a Vince Young, Carson Palmer or even Matt Leinart. A weak arm, throwing too many interceptions and not being terribly athletic are a few knocks on his game. Some aspects of his skill set are in need of tinkering and he will need to repair them in order to be the franchise quarterback that the Falcons are banking on. Even if he doesn't start this season, when he does play, he'll have a relatively comfortable time weather-wise being that Atlanta plays in a dome for their eight home games. In addition, the Flacons have a road game at the Superdome versus New Orleans which allows Ryan to have the shelter of a fixed climate. Add in two other road games in southern climates (Charlotte and Tampa Bay) and the rookie quarterback will not have to worry too much about throwing in bad weather for ten of his 16 games. One could argue that not having a strong supporting cast at Boston College led Ryan to force more throws than he would with NFL talent. Granted, the Falcons' wide receiving corps reads like a sheet of underachievers, but Atlanta did sign free agent running back Michael Turner to alleviate some of the pressure off the quarterback.
The drafting of this headstrong and gifted signal caller is yet another positive step for the Atlanta Falcons franchise. For the past six seasons, Michael Vick was at the helm for the offense. However, one could classify him as the anti-Ryan. Ryan is almost 6'5", has a mediocre arm, is right handed, can read defenses as if he was in their huddle, and possesses average athleticism with supreme touch on all of his passes. Vick is a southpaw, 6'0" in stature, an amazing athlete with blazing speed, has a cannon for an arm, and struggles to analyze opposing defensive schemes and coverage’s. Falcons' brass and fans will have a new leader on the field, but it may take a little bit of time to get used to the way #12 calls the shots as opposed to how #7 used to. Matt Ryan is the new face of the franchise in the ATL. Congratulations on the Falcons for going in this direction and helping new Coach Mike Smith start off with a bang. Matty Ice is just glad that he didn't have to hang out in the green room for too long and have one of those awkward conversations with Deion Sanders. Although, if he did have to sweat it out, Ryan would have been as cool as a polar bear…that's how he rolls.
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