Seconds after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the Altanta Falcons had selected Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan as the first overall pick of the 2008 draft, life began to stir in a lifeless franchise. Matt Ryan’s performance last season may have been the only thing that could have helped the Falcons and their fans get past the Vick ordeal. Ryan looked like a polished vet from day one as the starter and appears to be the franchise quarterback the Falcons have been looking for since their induction into the AFL in 1966. With the quarterback position all but settled for the next 10 years, the Falcons are looking to build around Ryan with a mixture of established vets like Michael Turner and developing draft picks like WR Roddy White and DT Peria Jerry. Turner is developing in a league leading rusher, having the unique combination of power and break away speed. He was named to the 2008 Pro Bowl and looks to be a force for opposing defenses for years to come. Roddy White is an electrifying athlete who has the size and strength to compete over the middle and the top-end speed needed to stretch the defense.
Since their founding in 1966, the Atlanta Falcons have had a rich history of talented players, like Gerald Riggs, Andre Rison, Bill Fralic, Jamal Anderson, Deion Sanders, Michael Vick, and Tim Green; all of whom have been named to an All-Pro team while wearing a Falcon’s uniform.

Hall of Famers
Eric Dickerson and Tommy Nobis both played one season with Falcons.

Current Stars

Matt Ryan
Roddy White
Michael Turner
Tony Gonzalez
Michael Jenkins
Brian Finneran
Harry Douglas
Sam Baker
Jerious Norwood
John Abraham
Johnathan Babineaux

Notable Veterans

Tommy Nobis
Steve Bartkowski
Gerald Riggs
Jamal Anderson
Andre Rison
Terance Mathis
Alge Crumpler
Alfred Jenkins
Greg Brezina
Buddy Curry
Jessie Tuggle
John Rade
Keith Brookings
Tim Green
Aundrey Bruce
Chuck Smith
Chris Miller
Chris Chandler
Jeff George
Bob Berry
Bobby Hebert
Randy Johnson
Bob Lee
William Andrews
Warrick Dunn
Michael Vick
Dave Hampton
Jim Butler
Craig “Ironhead” Heyward
Jim Mitchell
Michael Haynes
Bert Emanuel
Tim Dwight
Billy Johnson
Allen Rossum
Morton Anderson
T.J. Duckett
Bubba Bean
John Settle
Nick Mike-Mayer
Claude Humphrey
Patrick Kerney
Tony Casillas
Rolland Lawrence
Bill Fralic
Mike Kenn

2009 Draft Picks

The Falcons main focus was adding depth and youth to the defensive side of the ball. First round draft pick Peria Jerry DT from Ole Miss is a classic run stuffer who features a quick first step with a powerful athletic build. Jerry will take time to develop, but he has the raw skill to be a top flight DT. Safety William Moore from Missouri is that rare athlete who can both cover the pass and is a solid open field tackler when helping with run support. Moore will need some time to learn some of the finer points of the position, but he has a bright future in the Falcons secondary. Defensive draft picks CB Christopher Owens (San Jose State) and DE Lawrence Sidwell (Richmond) are slated for special teams and limited roles at their positions in 2009, but they look to get more playing time in upcoming seasons.

Atlanta

Collector Outlook
Things look bright for the Altanta Falcons collector after several seasons of margainal draft picks who have been disappointment at the NFL level. Matt Ryan is a superstar in the making and with the development of Roddy White and Michael Turner, collectors can expect to find more causal collectors buying quality Falcons pieces now more than ever. Don’t forget the former stars of the team, there are plenty of affordable pieces available to all collectors no matter the size of their collecting budget. If the Falcons win their way into the Playoffs, expect demand for current and former stars of the team to see an significant increase as the year progresses.

Team Information