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| 2008 NFL Draft - Atlanta Falcons | ||||||
| Round | Pick # | Overall | Player | Pos. | Class | School |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | Matt Ryan | QB | Sr | Boston College |
| 1 | 21 | 21 | Sam Baker | T | Sr | USC |
| 2 | 6 | 37 | Curtis Lofton | LB | Jr | Oklahoma |
| 3 | 5 | 68 | Chevis Jackson | CB | Sr | LSU |
| 3 | 21 | 84 | Harry Douglas | WR | Sr | Louisville |
| 3 | 35 | 98 | Thomas DeCoud | S | Sr | California |
| 5 | 3 | 138 | Robert James | LB | Sr | Arizona State |
| 5 | 19 | 154 | Kroy Biermann | LB | Jr | Montana |
| 6 | 6 | 172 | Thomas Brown | RB | Sr | Georgia |
| 7 | 5 | 212 | Wilrey Fontenot | CB | Sr | Arizona |
| 7 | 25 | 232 | Keith Zinger | TE | Sr | LSU |
2007 RECORD: 4-12
LAST SEASON: Michael Vick's legal woes cast a shadow over a season of unrest. First-year coach Bobby Petrino jumped ship after 13 games, and Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich and Chris Redman took turns as the starting quarterback.
THEY NEED: QB, DT, OL, CB, TE, DE.
THEY DON'T NEED: RB.
POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: There will be a lot of talk about Ryan, but Dorsey is the smart pick as the Falcons wait until later in draft to take a quarterback.
OUTLOOK: A few key free agents, including RB Michael Turner, PK Jason Elam and FS Erik Coleman will help. But this team is rebuilding under new coach Mike Smith after cutting Warrick Dunn, Alge Crumpler and Rod Coleman, and trading DeAngelo Hall.
| New York Life Protection Index Analysis | ||||||
| Atlanta Falcons | ||||||
| Season | Rank | Protection Index | Previous Protection Index | Change | Offensive Linemen Drafted | |
| 2010 | 4 | 77.7 | 72.1 | 5.6 | Joe Hawley (G) - UNLV | |
| 2009 | 6 | 72.1 | 68.0 | 4.1 | Garrett Reynolds (T) - North Carolina | |
| 2008 | 10 | 68.0 | 46.9 | 21.1 | Sam Baker (T) - USC | |
| 2007 | 29 | 46.9 | 34.8 | 12.1 | Justin Blalock (G) - Texas | |
| 2006 | 31 | 34.8 | 38.5 | -3.7 | Quinn Ojinnaka (T) - Syracuse | |
| 2005 | 27 | 38.5 | 25.4 | 13.1 | ||
| 2004 | 31 | 25.4 | 40.9 | -15.5 | ||
| 2003 | 29 | 40.9 | 46.6 | -5.7 | ||
| 2002 | 26 | 46.6 | 30.8 | 15.8 | Martin Bibla (G) - Miami (FL), Kevin Shaffer (T) - Tulsa | |
| 2001 | 31 | 30.8 | 35.5 | -4.7 | Roberto Garza (G) - Texas A&M-Kingsville, Kynan Forney (G) - Hawaii | |
| 2000 | 27 | 35.5 | 41.5 | -6.0 | Travis Claridge (G) - Southern California, Michael Thompson (T) - Tennessee State | |
| 1999 | 25 | 41.5 | 30.2 | 11.3 | ||
| 1998 | 29 | 30.2 | 35.0 | -4.8 | Bob Hallen (C) - Kent, Ephraim Salaam (T) - San Diego State | |
| 1997 | 28 | 35.0 | 46.4 | -11.4 | Calvin Collins (G) - Texas A&M | |
| 1996 | 21 | 46.4 | 56.0 | -9.6 | Ethan Brooks (T) - Williams | |
| 1995 | 17 | 56.0 | 68.0 | -12.0 | ||
| 1994 | 8 | 68.0 | 56.8 | 11.2 | ||
| 1993 | 13 | 56.8 | N/A | N/A | Lincoln Kennedy (T) - Washington | |
