2014 NFL Draft: Atlanta Falcons Should Avoid Offensive Linemen in Early Rounds

It’s been well documented by practically anyone who follows or lampoons the Atlanta Falcons that the team’s two biggest areas of need are on the offensive and defensive lines.

When the draft rolls around this spring, regardless of how tempted they may be, Thomas Dimitroff and crew should try to avoid picking any offensive linemen, at least in the early rounds of the draft.

This might sound like an odd strategy, considering how poorly the Falcons’ o-line performed in 2013. It’s not that franchise quarterback Matt Ryan doesn’t deserve some extra protection, but the Falcons well-placed draft picks (6, 37, 68, 99, 135, 166, 197) can be better used than on what typically ends up being one of the harder to judge positions.

The offensive line is absolutely a need that the Falcons should address, but they would be better suited to find the experienced tackles and guards that are needed via free agency or possibly even through trades, rather than risk valuable draft picks.

The signing of former Buccaneers and Bears tackle/guard Gabe Carimi on Monday shows that the Falcons brass may be thinking along the same lines.

There are some very talented offensive linemen in this 2014 draft class, but my hesitation to see the Falcons pick them isn’t merely based on fear of a player becoming a bust, but rather in the time that needs to be invested in getting offensive linemen up to an elite level of play.

The Falcons just don’t have that kind of time if they truly want to get to and win a Super Bowl. The window has slowly been closing, and the loss of players due to age or free agency is going to eventually start cannibalizing the core of this team, and by then it may be too late.

Defensive tackles, ends and linebackers, on the other hand, can make an immediate impact if they are the right kind of players, and that’s what Atlanta needs.

Atlanta should be eying not only projected early first round pick DE Jadeveon Clowney, but also such names as OLB Khalil Mack, ILB C.J. Mosely, and DT Louis Nix, among others. The last few years of picking project players at linebacker and defensive line hasn’t gotten Atlanta where they need to be defensively, and this a draft class loaded with defensive talent.

There are no sure things at any position when it comes to the draft, but it seems that finding offensive linemen that live up to their hype is a rarity.

Michael Collins is an Atlanta sports humorist, columnist, radio host and owner of Georgia Sports Craze. He is a member of the FWAA and eats peanut butter straight from the jar. Follow on Twitter @GaSportsCraze on Facebook here or on Google here