JA 98 In perspective

[lostnmexico]

I have an interesting point I want to address. Bear with me a bit.......I just read in another JA98 thread that he doesn't live up to first round status.........Hmmmmm. He has been a solid if unspectacular member of this football team. He has been unselfish, willing, hard working, and exemplifies the concept of TEAM.

I have a problem with saying that he hasn't lived up to first round status.........Are we to assume all first rounders should be star football players?

Fact is they are not. There are many more first round busts than stars!

But for arguments sake, lets look at the 2007 Draft when we drafted JA98:

1 1 Oakland Raiders JaMarcus Russell QB LSU SEC

1 2 Detroit Lions Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech ACC

1 3 Cleveland Browns Joe Thomas† OT Wisconsin Big Ten

1 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Gaines Adams DE Clemson ACC

1 5 Arizona Cardinals Levi Brown OT Penn State Big Ten

1 6 Washington Redskins LaRon Landry S LSU SEC

1 7 Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson† RB Oklahoma Big 12

1 8 Atlanta Falcons Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas SEC from Houston [9]

1 9 Miami Dolphins Ted Ginn, Jr. WR Ohio State Big Ten

1 10 Houston Texans Amobi Okoye DT Louisville Big East from Atlanta [9]

1 11 San Francisco 49ers Patrick Willis† LB Ole Miss SEC

1 12 Buffalo Bills Marshawn Lynch† RB California Pac-10

1 13 St. Louis Rams Adam Carriker DT Nebraska Big 12

1 14 New York Jets Darrelle Revis† CB Pittsburgh Big East from Carolina [10]

1 15 Pittsburgh Steelers Lawrence Timmons LB Florida State ACC

1 16 Green Bay Packers Justin Harrell DT Tennessee SEC

1 17 Denver Broncos Jarvis Moss DE Florida SEC from Jacksonville [11]

1 18 Cincinnati Bengals Leon Hall CB Michigan Big Ten

1 19 Tennessee Titans Michael Griffin† S Texas Big 12

1 20 New York Giants Aaron Ross CB Texas Big 12

1 21 Jacksonville JaguarsReggie Nelson S Florida SEC from Denver [11]

1 22 Cleveland Browns Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame Ind. from Dallas [12]

1 23 Kansas City Chiefs Dwayne Bowe WR LSU SEC

1 24 New England PatriotsBrandon Meriweather† S Miami (FL) ACC from Seattle [13]

1 25 Carolina Panthers Jon Beason† LB Miami (FL) ACC from New York Jets [10]

1 26 Dallas Cowboys Anthony Spencer DE Purdue Big Ten from Philadelphia [14]

1 27 New Orleans Saints Robert Meachem WR Tennessee SEC

1 28 San Francisco 49ers Joe Staley OT Central Michigan MAC from New England [15]

1 29 Baltimore Ravens Ben Grubbs G Auburn SEC

1 30 San Diego Chargers Craig "Buster" Davis WR LSU SEC

1 31 Chicago Bears Greg Olsen TE Miami (FL) ACC

1 32 Indianapolis Colts Gonzalez, AnthonyAnthony Gonzalez WR Ohio State Big Ten

Gaines Adams???? Jamarcus Russell???? Ted Ginn???? Brady Quinn???? Buster Davis?????

There were some COLOSSAL BUSTS in the 2007 Draft Class and JA98 wasn't one of them. He is a valuable member of this team and deserves more respect than many of us give him! More to the point....First round status just means you get more $ and free pass in year one. There are no guarantees of first round production as our franchise is well aware (Bruce Pickens, Aundray Bruce, etc.).

What is important and is key is that he has been a great run stopper (Doubtful JA98 wouldv'e gotten blown out the hole on either Mendenhall or Hightower's runs). a great team player, and has represented this franchise well. I for one am glad we have JA98 on our squad! He has worked hard to establish himself as a solid Defensive Lineman. Not bad for a former WR who out grew the position at Arkansas!

Edited September 21, 2010 by lostnmexico

[Robb4242]

He obviously hasn't been everything we wanted when we drafted him, but he's far from a complete bust.

[Return-of-the-Falcon]

who are the one bolded?

[The Falcon Jedi]

I have an interesting point I want to address. Bear with me a bit.......I just read in another JA98 thread that he doesn't live up to first round status.........Hmmmmm. He has been a solid if unspectacular member of this football team. He has been unselfish, willing, hard working, and exemplifies the concept of TEAM.

I have a problem with saying that he hasn't lived up to first round status.........Are we to assume all first rounders should be star football players?

Fact is they are not. There are many more first round busts than stars!

But for arguments sake, lets look at the 2007 Draft when we drafted JA98:

1 1 Oakland Raiders JaMarcus Russell QB LSU SEC

1 2 Detroit Lions Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech ACC

1 3 Cleveland Browns Joe Thomas† OT Wisconsin Big Ten

1 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Gaines Adams DE Clemson ACC

1 5 Arizona Cardinals Levi Brown OT Penn State Big Ten

1 6 Washington Redskins LaRon Landry S LSU SEC

1 7 Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson† RB Oklahoma Big 12

1 8 Atlanta Falcons Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas SEC from Houston [9]

1 9 Miami Dolphins Ted Ginn, Jr. WR Ohio State Big Ten

1 10 Houston Texans Amobi Okoye DT Louisville Big East from Atlanta [9]

1 11 San Francisco 49ers Patrick Willis† LB Ole Miss SEC

1 12 Buffalo Bills Marshawn Lynch† RB California Pac-10

1 13 St. Louis Rams Adam Carriker DT Nebraska Big 12

1 14 New York Jets Darrelle Revis† CB Pittsburgh Big East from Carolina [10]

1 15 Pittsburgh Steelers Lawrence Timmons LB Florida State ACC

1 16 Green Bay Packers Justin Harrell DT Tennessee SEC

1 17 Denver Broncos Jarvis Moss DE Florida SEC from Jacksonville [11]

1 18 Cincinnati Bengals Leon Hall CB Michigan Big Ten

1 19 Tennessee Titans Michael Griffin† S Texas Big 12

1 20 New York Giants Aaron Ross CB Texas Big 12

1 21 Jacksonville JaguarsReggie Nelson S Florida SEC from Denver [11]

1 22 Cleveland Browns Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame Ind. from Dallas [12]

1 23 Kansas City Chiefs Dwayne Bowe WR LSU SEC

1 24 New England PatriotsBrandon Meriweather† S Miami (FL) ACC from Seattle [13]

1 25 Carolina Panthers Jon Beason† LB Miami (FL) ACC from New York Jets [10]

1 26 Dallas Cowboys Anthony Spencer DE Purdue Big Ten from Philadelphia [14]

1 27 New Orleans Saints Robert Meachem WR Tennessee SEC

1 28 San Francisco 49ers Joe Staley OT Central Michigan MAC from New England [15]

1 29 Baltimore Ravens Ben Grubbs G Auburn SEC

1 30 San Diego Chargers Craig "Buster" Davis WR LSU SEC

1 31 Chicago Bears Greg Olsen TE Miami (FL) ACC

1 32 Indianapolis Colts Gonzalez, AnthonyAnthony Gonzalez WR Ohio State Big Ten

Gaines Adams???? Jamarcus Russell???? Ted Ginn???? Brady Quinn???? Buster Davis?????

There were some COLOSSAL BUSTS in the 2007 Draft Class and JA98 wasn't one of them. He is a valuable member of this team and deserves more respect than many of us give him! More to the point....First round status just means you get more $ and free pass in year one. There are no guarantees of first round production as our franchise is well aware (Bruce Pickens, Aundray Bruce, etc.).

What is important and is key is that he has been a great run stopper (Doubtful JA98 wouldv'e gotten blown out the hole on either Mendenhall or Hightower's runs). a great team player, and has represented this franchise well. I for one am glad we have JA98 on our squad! He has worked hard to establish himself as a solid Defensive Lineman. Not bad for a former WR who out grew the position at Arkansas!

I like JA98. I would like him more if we had drafted him in the 4th round where should have been,

[Peyton]

It's painful to look at it when you see some of the players the Falcons could have had.

Look, here is the reality. Jamal Anderson was drafted to be a pass rushing force. He hasn't been. Pass rush was one of the biggest problems for the Falcons last year, and what was his impact in that regard?

I am glad that he is turning into a serviceable DT. Good for him. It's not what you look for when you draft number 8. The fact that a bunch of other teams drafted busts in 2007 doesn't really change that.

[muskokas finest ©]

Levi Brown is a good example of the minimum acceptable standards. He is a decent starter and that is the least we should accept from JA98

[Eight Track]

Each and every draft has its fair share of busts. It's useless to second guess and dwell on buyer's remorse. On a more useful note ... if anyone finds a jar of dryer lint, I've been looking for it. Thanks.

[Lucky_Tom]

Can't speak to the Mendenhall run off-hand, but go look at that Hightower run again. You will see a 98 on the back of the first guy getting blown off the LOS. Look, I'm glad he appears to be settling in to his new role, but the constant apologizing gets annoying. Yes, it's more annoying than the constant harping (which has been ebbing recently) because it's grasping at straws. He's a decent run stopper, but he's not the world beater that some seem to claim. You don't draft run-stopping 4-3 DEs #8. As has been said in this thread already, It doesn't matter how many other teams made bad picks. That doesn't make our pick any better. In the end though, I think the apologists bring out the harpers. If people like Gazoo weren't constantly turning chicken sh** into chicken salad, I seriously doubt you'd see JA98 mentioned on this board very often anymore.

[rugger8]

Well, in Gaines Adams' defense, he's more dead than a bust.

[DavyDmx]

He obviously hasn't been everything we wanted when we drafted him, but he's far from a complete bust.

Exactly. I think people's expectations (and justifiably so) were extremely high on him coming out of college and he just couldn't shed blockers like a DE should.

[Peyton]

Well, in Gaines Adams' defense, he's more dead than a bust.

And at his current pace, JA will pass Gaines in career sacks in just 17 seasons.

[Striker42]

When we drafted Anderson, McKay said Anderson would be a very good pass rusher and a pretty good run defender. He emphasized how important having two pass rushing DE's was and with Kearney departing, Anderson was selected to replace him as the pass rusher opposite Abe.

After being drafted Anderson himself gave an interview where he said he knew he was drafted to get sacks and that's what he was going to do. He called a sack "a special play".

So Anderson was drafted as a pass rusher. There's no doubt about that. Had he become a guy who would get double digit sacks year after year but was terrible against the run, no one would say a thing. You would see Anderson jerseys at the Dome. And some people would probably be calling for Anderson and Biermann to start and Abe to rotate in.

Anderson is a bust. A tremendous bust. The fact that the 2007 draft was full of busts doesn't mean a thing as far as Anderson goes. Anderson was drafted 8th overall and rightfully had the expectations that go along with such a draft status. He totally failed to meet those expectations. He is a bust.

However there are busts all over the league still playing and contributing. The Falcons now are trying to get the best use they can out of Anderson. He's a rotational player, a backup, depth. Nothing more. He's not a playmaker and never will be. But it doesn't make a ton of sense to cut him as you'd just have to pay another player to come in and fill his role as a backup.

[controlfreak]

All people can say about him is his lack of sacks. you are right about him not getting blown out on the big runs. He was the only player who did shed his block on Hightower's run. He later tripped over Walker. All of the guys this board goes GAH-Gah over were blasted out of the play.

The first was Spoon. He got utterly destroyed, b-slapped pancaked whatever u want to call it.

Moore was next and Lofton was blindsided and knocked off his feet.

[madman88]

to be honest, the expectations of a first round pick depends on his contract,

wat are his incentives,

is he the best option in that position,(better be if he is a first rounder)

u gotta understand that the more u get paid to do a job, the more is expected out of u..... just like a regular job, so if someone is outperforming u and u get paid the most, then arn't u underacheving???? does that mean every first rounder is going to be great??? NO, but u better be better then wat the team has at your position, and thats not the case.... so u cant call him the biggest bust, but he is a bust for the simple fact that to be honmest, a DE is made by sacks, ur not a great DE if u cant produce, that doesnt mean getting holding calls, or getting pressure, u dont go to pro bowls and HOF with just that, u gotta FINISH the job, which is sacking the QB...

[madman88]

All people can say about him is his lack of sacks. you are right about him not getting blown out on the big runs. He was the only player who did shed his block on Hightower's run. He later tripped over Walker. All of the guys this board goes GAH-Gah over were blasted out of the play.

The first was Spoon. He got utterly destroyed, b-slapped pancaked whatever u want to call it.

Moore was next and Lofton was blindsided and knocked off his feet.

moore actually did his job if u look at that again, he made the RB go back inside to where everyone is, thats wat u call ''containing the outside'' from there its up to the rest to get to him....

[schwarzenegger321]

All people can say about him is his lack of sacks. you are right about him not getting blown out on the big runs. He was the only player who did shed his block on Hightower's run. He later tripped over Walker. All of the guys this board goes GAH-Gah over were blasted out of the play.

The first was Spoon. He got utterly destroyed, b-slapped pancaked whatever u want to call it.

Moore was next and Lofton was blindsided and knocked off his feet.

I am probably one of the biggest critics to JA98, so I'll give my two cents worth. First, I hope anderson can turn it around and have a very productive season. That will make the Falcons a better team and I really don't want anything bad to happen to any NFL player. My issues are this. First, fundimentally Anderson is terrible. I'm not going into details again, but how he got drafted in the first round is amazing. Second, yeah when you are drafted in the top ten you pretty much have the expectation of being a superstar. If they don't like that then dont sign the contract with the big payout. The money we spent on him could have been used to really help this team in other areas. Third, Anderson up to this point has not show effort in the offseason to make himself a better player. He has had opportunities to work with some of the best Dlinemen and get better and he has not done that. Now, I give you that he has not quit and is doing what the team asks of him now, but like another poster said, if he went in the 4th or 5th round I would have no issue with him.

And by the way, JA98 was blown three yards off the ball on the hightower run and actually tripped the DT who was trying to pursue. Yes, our LB's were blocked because they were taking proper angles to the side line. They never expected hightower to cut upfield as quick as he did and if Anderson wasnt blasted off the ball he would have forced the RB out and that play would have been stopped with a 2 or 3 yard pick-up.

All people can say about him is his lack of sacks. you are right about him not getting blown out on the big runs. He was the only player who did shed his block on Hightower's run. He later tripped over Walker. All of the guys this board goes GAH-Gah over were blasted out of the play.

The first was Spoon. He got utterly destroyed, b-slapped pancaked whatever u want to call it.

Moore was next and Lofton was blindsided and knocked off his feet.

I am probably one of the biggest critics to JA98, so I'll give my two cents worth. First, I hope anderson can turn it around and have a very productive season. That will make the Falcons a better team and I really don't want anything bad to happen to any NFL player. My issues are this. First, fundimentally Anderson is terrible. I'm not going into details again, but how he got drafted in the first round is amazing. Second, yeah when you are drafted in the top ten you pretty much have the expectation of being a superstar. If they don't like that then dont sign the contract with the big payout. The money we spent on him could have been used to really help this team in other areas. Third, Anderson up to this point has not show effort in the offseason to make himself a better player. He has had opportunities to work with some of the best Dlinemen and get better and he has not done that. Now, I give you that he has not quit and is doing what the team asks of him now, but like another poster said, if he went in the 4th or 5th round I would have no issue with him.

And by the way, JA98 was blown three yards off the ball on the hightower run and actually tripped the DT who was trying to pursue. Yes, our LB's were blocked because they were taking proper angles to the side line. They never expected hightower to cut upfield as quick as he did and if Anderson wasnt blasted off the ball he would have forced the RB out and that play would have been stopped with a 2 or 3 yard pick-up.

All people can say about him is his lack of sacks. you are right about him not getting blown out on the big runs. He was the only player who did shed his block on Hightower's run. He later tripped over Walker. All of the guys this board goes GAH-Gah over were blasted out of the play.

The first was Spoon. He got utterly destroyed, b-slapped pancaked whatever u want to call it.

Moore was next and Lofton was blindsided and knocked off his feet.

I am probably one of the biggest critics to JA98, so I'll give my two cents worth. First, I hope anderson can turn it around and have a very productive season. That will make the Falcons a better team and I really don't want anything bad to happen to any NFL player. My issues are this. First, fundimentally Anderson is terrible. I'm not going into details again, but how he got drafted in the first round is amazing. Second, yeah when you are drafted in the top ten you pretty much have the expectation of being a superstar. If they don't like that then dont sign the contract with the big payout. The money we spent on him could have been used to really help this team in other areas. Third, Anderson up to this point has not show effort in the offseason to make himself a better player. He has had opportunities to work with some of the best Dlinemen and get better and he has not done that. Now, I give you that he has not quit and is doing what the team asks of him now, but like another poster said, if he went in the 4th or 5th round I would have no issue with him.

And by the way, JA98 was blown three yards off the ball on the hightower run and actually tripped the DT who was trying to pursue. Yes, our LB's were blocked because they were taking proper angles to the side line. They never expected hightower to cut upfield as quick as he did and if Anderson wasnt blasted off the ball he would have forced the RB out and that play would have been stopped with a 2 or 3 yard pick-up.

[mcsupersport]

And by the way, JA98 was blown three yards off the ball on the hightower run and actually tripped the DT who was trying to pursue. Yes, our LB's were blocked because they were taking proper angles to the side line. They never expected hightower to cut upfield as quick as he did and if Anderson wasnt blasted off the ball he would have forced the RB out and that play would have been stopped with a 2 or 3 yard pick-up.

Actually go back and watch it again, use the replay available on NFL.com, it has a full speed and then slower different angle playback. Anderson was locked with his man about a yard behind the line, Spoon gets cutblocked and knocked down at Anderson's feet, Anderson then trips over Spoon, and falls to his hands and knees. The run then continues with Spoon getting back up and getting pancaked again just 5 or so yards downfield and Anderson gets up and runs after, without hope of catching the RB.

So Anderson was doing his job and got tripped up by Spoon. Don't know who you want to blame, but them are the facts, no one on the Defense did a good job on that play, from soup to nuts all stank. I am just glad it was only one mistake/busted play in the game, against us.

[Finally]

If I buy a race car and end up with a minivan I call the transaction a bust. Finding a use for the minivan only means I am making the best of a bad situation.

This is football. There is no reason to sugar coat it.

[FalconFanSince1970]

...Gaines Adams???? Jamarcus Russell???? Ted Ginn???? Brady Quinn???? Buster Davis?????

Patrick Willis? Darelle Revis? Jon Beason? Lawrence Timmons? Robert Meachem? Greg Olsen? Anthony Gonzalez? Even though some would have been a reach at #8, either one would have been a better move. You don't get too many top 10 picks. You better make em count.

There are no guarantees of first round production as our franchise is well aware (Bruce Pickens, Aundray Bruce, etc.).What is important and is key is that he has been a great run stopper (Doubtful JA98 wouldv'e gotten blown out the hole on either Mendenhall or Hightower's runs). a great team player, and has represented this franchise well. I for one am glad we have JA98 on our squad! He has worked hard to establish himself as a solid Defensive Lineman. Not bad for a former WR who out grew the position at Arkansas!

Please don't compare him to Aundray Bruce without researching his stats in his first three seasons. Busterson's ain't even on the same planet. There are two things I still don't understand. Why he didn't' get cut before Crisp Houston and why so many people here try to protect him.

[Jimsmusic™]

I see old fraud still crying about that dirty diaper he's wearing.

[controlfreak]

I am probably one of the biggest critics to JA98, so I'll give my two cents worth. First, I hope anderson can turn it around and have a very productive season. That will make the Falcons a better team and I really don't want anything bad to happen to any NFL player. My issues are this. First, fundimentally Anderson is terrible. I'm not going into details again, but how he got drafted in the first round is amazing. Second, yeah when you are drafted in the top ten you pretty much have the expectation of being a superstar. If they don't like that then dont sign the contract with the big payout. The money we spent on him could have been used to really help this team in other areas. Third, Anderson up to this point has not show effort in the offseason to make himself a better player. He has had opportunities to work with some of the best Dlinemen and get better and he has not done that. Now, I give you that he has not quit and is doing what the team asks of him now, but like another poster said, if he went in the 4th or 5th round I would have no issue with him.

And by the way, JA98 was blown three yards off the ball on the hightower run and actually tripped the DT who was trying to pursue. Yes, our LB's were blocked because they were taking proper angles to the side line. They never expected hightower to cut upfield as quick as he did and if Anderson wasnt blasted off the ball he would have forced the RB out and that play would have been stopped with a 2 or 3 yard pick-up.

I am probably one of the biggest critics to JA98, so I'll give my two cents worth. First, I hope anderson can turn it around and have a very productive season. That will make the Falcons a better team and I really don't want anything bad to happen to any NFL player. My issues are this. First, fundimentally Anderson is terrible. I'm not going into details again, but how he got drafted in the first round is amazing. Second, yeah when you are drafted in the top ten you pretty much have the expectation of being a superstar. If they don't like that then dont sign the contract with the big payout. The money we spent on him could have been used to really help this team in other areas. Third, Anderson up to this point has not show effort in the offseason to make himself a better player. He has had opportunities to work with some of the best Dlinemen and get better and he has not done that. Now, I give you that he has not quit and is doing what the team asks of him now, but like another poster said, if he went in the 4th or 5th round I would have no issue with him.

And by the way, JA98 was blown three yards off the ball on the hightower run and actually tripped the DT who was trying to pursue. Yes, our LB's were blocked because they were taking proper angles to the side line. They never expected hightower to cut upfield as quick as he did and if Anderson wasnt blasted off the ball he would have forced the RB out and that play would have been stopped with a 2 or 3 yard pick-up.

I am probably one of the biggest critics to JA98, so I'll give my two cents worth. First, I hope anderson can turn it around and have a very productive season. That will make the Falcons a better team and I really don't want anything bad to happen to any NFL player. My issues are this. First, fundimentally Anderson is terrible. I'm not going into details again, but how he got drafted in the first round is amazing. Second, yeah when you are drafted in the top ten you pretty much have the expectation of being a superstar. If they don't like that then dont sign the contract with the big payout. The money we spent on him could have been used to really help this team in other areas. Third, Anderson up to this point has not show effort in the offseason to make himself a better player. He has had opportunities to work with some of the best Dlinemen and get better and he has not done that. Now, I give you that he has not quit and is doing what the team asks of him now, but like another poster said, if he went in the 4th or 5th round I would have no issue with him.

And by the way, JA98 was blown three yards off the ball on the hightower run and actually tripped the DT who was trying to pursue. Yes, our LB's were blocked because they were taking proper angles to the side line. They never expected hightower to cut upfield as quick as he did and if Anderson wasnt blasted off the ball he would have forced the RB out and that play would have been stopped with a 2 or 3 yard pick-up.

I don't have to lie

Exactly how I called it.

[MSalmon]

At this point who cares that JA98 was a first round draft pick of a totally different regime that is long gone.Doesnt really matter. Point is he's fitting into our team, in a specific role and our current regime apparantly likes him as a valuable role player. Besides next contract--if we decide to retain him--he'll be like Jenkins and get a new contract that is a lot less than his first one. If you look at the whole petrino/Mckay mess of a draft it wasn't just JA98 that was overdrafted. Stuff happens and you move one. Tampa was so excited about Gaines Adams (pre-death) that they shipped him off to chicago.

But bottom line JA98 has played a valuable role as a run-stopper, swing DE/DT and that has proven invaluable. Was he overdrafted? Absolutely. Will he suddenly "find" himself? Probably not. But he could be a paul spicer, travis hall type player for us for years to come...albeit on a new much cheaper contract in the near future.

[ironhead1970]

Can't speak to the Mendenhall run off-hand, but go look at that Hightower run again. You will see a 98 on the back of the first guy getting blown off the LOS. Look, I'm glad he appears to be settling in to his new role, but the constant apologizing gets annoying. Yes, it's more annoying than the constant harping (which has been ebbing recently) because it's grasping at straws. He's a decent run stopper, but he's not the world beater that some seem to claim. You don't draft run-stopping 4-3 DEs #8. As has been said in this thread already, It doesn't matter how many other teams made bad picks. That doesn't make our pick any better. In the end though, I think the apologists bring out the harpers. If people like Gazoo weren't constantly turning chicken sh** into chicken salad, I seriously doubt you'd see JA98 mentioned on this board very often anymore.

+1 Well spoken... Well said.

[ugadawg]

1st he did not draft himself at #8 so everyone pissed about where he was drafted should be venting on RM not JA. RM should have also never made everyone thing he was a sack specialist before he even got on the field. Most of the hate to JA is based off the hype and draft status. I have seen both Kroy and JA get blown off a snap and JA gets blasted and Kroy gets praised for a sack later in the game. I truly think the game play evaluation is not fair or accurate most of the time because to many put the * of draft pick/GM hype.

Where any player is drafted does not matter to me anymore it is in the past. I care if the player is contributing to the team and helping us win. JA does that. He plays in the base LDE and pass rush from the DT spot. He does what the coaches wants him to do, and does is well enough that they think he should be on the field. They had no part in his draft so they do not care they want the best players on the field. We should too.

[Peyton]

1st he did not draft himself at #8 so everyone pissed about where he was drafted should be venting on RM not JA. RM should have also never made everyone thing he was a sack specialist before he even got on the field. Most of the hate to JA is based off the hype and draft status. I have seen both Kroy and JA get blown off a snap and JA gets blasted and Kroy gets praised for a sack later in the game. I truly think the game play evaluation is not fair or accurate most of the time because to many put the * of draft pick/GM hype.

Where any player is drafted does not matter to me anymore it is in the past. I care if the player is contributing to the team and helping us win. JA does that. He plays in the base LDE and pass rush from the DT spot. He does what the coaches wants him to do, and does is well enough that they think he should be on the field. They had no part in his draft so they do not care they want the best players on the field. We should too.

Strangely, it's the people who want to validate JA98's performance that keep this topic alive. The people who have accepted that he didn't live up to his draft status or the purpose of the Falcons drafting him moved on when Beirman took his job.

Example - This thread.