Falcons Reportedly Team To Watch For Randy Gregory
Well, after all this, Randy Gregory might still be a top 10 pick.
A landing spot for Randy Gregory: One scout noted his talent is “special.” Keep an eye on #Falcons at 8. ATL is open to edgier players now.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 26, 2015
The Falcons are apparently still in the market for edge rushers, and the free agent market sort of dictated that. Defensive players should obviously want to play for Dan Quinn, the mastermind behind Seattle’s dominant defense the last two seasons, but he obviously had some incredible talent while with the Seahawks.
In Atlanta, things are a bit different, but they are off to a good start in my opinion. There were rumors they would be signing both Brooks Reed and Brian Orakpo, but Orakpo ended up signing with the Tennessee Titans, so getting an edge rusher remains a priority for them in the draft.
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Randy Gregory, who failed a drug test at the Combine, is left now wondering whether or not he’ll still be picked as a top 10 player based on his talent, or if he will fall in the draft like many who have made the same mistake before him, guys who were extremely talented but couldn’t make the right decisions off the field.
Gregory seems genuine about his attempt to get back on the good graces of NFL coaches, and to get to a place where he can be the best football player that he can be. He is obviously ridiculously talented and would be an excellent fit for the Falcons, who desperately need to add to their pass rush.
The obvious issue here is, having failed a drug test, Gregory is already in Stage 1 of the NFL’s substance abuse program. He will have additional monitoring from the league, and is already down in the count 0-1, but the Falcons might be willing to take that risk.
The tough part about it is, no one really seemed surprised. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Past behavior is typically what determines future behavior, so when it comes to drafting Gregory, it’s buyer beware.
Gregory is a 6-foot-6, 245 pound defensive end with excellent speed and athleticism. The question is not his ability on the field, it’s his decision making off of it. The Falcons will have to do extensive research, background checking, and make themselves very comfortable with a guy like Gregory. The thought of pairing him with Brooks Reed and some of their other defensive line additions over the last couple of years like Adrian Clayborn, Tyson Jackson, Paul Soliai and Ra’Shede Hageman, is intriguing to say the least.
Gregory has drawn comparisons to Dion Jordan or even Aldon Smith.