There has been a lot of talk about the Falcons potentially drafting a couple of Georgia pass rushers in Jalon Walker, if he makes it to 15, and Mykel Williams, who has been mocked to the Falcons in mock drafts done by Daniel Jerimiah and other well known NFL Draft analysts. Now, the Falcons do have a need for a pass rusher in what is a deep draft for pass rushers. However, earlier today The Morning Shift explained why it would make a lot of sense for Atlanta to draft a different Georgia prospect with the 15th pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
“If they think the best player at 15 is Malaki Starks they better damn well run up there and take him because the dude is a baller. He’s smart, he’s one of the smartest football players that Georgia had on their team last year, if not the smartest, which tells you that he loves the game, he’s smart, he studies it, and he gets better. He’s also a freak athlete in a lot of ways, so go get him.” Beau Morgan said
Beau also called the former Dawg the “best safety in the draft” and said Starks is a “playmaker”.
“He’s a playmaker though first and foremost and that’s the most important thing when I think about a guy like Malaki Starks and what the Falcons need.” Beau said
Mike added to Beau’s point by talking about how the Falcons need help and need playmakers at every position on defense, not just the defensive line.
“The Falcons have to have athletes and they have to have playmakers, and at this point when you look at defensively we need help at a lot of different spots.” Johnson said
When talking about Malaki specifically Mike said Starks is “a guy who can be multiple in the back end, is a football player, is headsie, and can do things to stop different offenses”.
Beau continued by talking about how Falcons fans are so hung up on the team drafting an edge rusher because they’ve needed one for so long that they would be just okay with the Falcons drafting any edge rusher at 15. Beau also talks about how he hopes Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris aren’t that way as well because at the end of the day the Falcons’ defense needs playmakers all over the field, and Starks could be a playmaker in the backfield with Jessie Bates.
“We are so hung up on edge rushers and I get it. We sucked at edge rushing and I'm a trench guy. I think you win in the trenches, I really do, but you can’t turn around and afford to miss on a playmaker like that, look how much better our defense got just with Jessie Bates. Imagine those two paired together.” Beau said
The Falcons have free notable agents at every position on defense, and could use playmakers everywhere, so to Beau’s point if Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris believe the Georgia Safety is the best player available at 15 they don’t need to pass on him because he’s not an edge rusher because they need playmakers everywhere on the defensive side of the ball.