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2002 NFL draft

Speed thrills, but Falcons want more power

Reeves has Atlanta firing on all cylinders

By Jeff Reynolds, Associate editor of special projects
April 20, 2002

So long, Jamal Anderson. Hello, T.J. Duckett. The Falcons, who didn’t figure to be in the mix for a running back, opted for the 6-2, 250-pound back rather than nab a big, speed receiver for QB Michael Vick to target.

Duckett fits Dan Reeves’ conservative system, one that uses play-action to set up the big play. With RB Warrick Dunn on board, it was a surprise that the Falcons went for what may have been the best player on their board in Duckett. The addition is a huge help to Vick, who will be under a lot less pressure knowing he can hand it to a time-of-possession chewer named Duckett.

But I have to question the move. New owner Arthur Blank broke the bank for Dunn, who needs 20 to 25 touches to be effective. Duckett has the same requirement. Duckett is a power back who begins to thrive when the defense tires. The problem? Few teams get the opportunity to run the ball 40 or 45 times a game, and Duckett is not a fullback. In fact, blocking is a weakness of his. Picking a short-yardage back in the middle of the first round is ludicrous, especially with many other needs coming off a 7-9 season. To me, the pick is a contradiction.

Hawaii WR Ashley Lelie is speed personified. The Falcons could have gone to a ho-hum offense that scared few to what could have been an incredibly talented unit in the next year or two. Much like Vick, Lelie has a knack for getting it done in the big game. He averaged more than 150 receiving yards a game and has the ability to run past defenders or go up and get the ball from a quarterback in a jump-ball situation. The Falcons desperately needed a receiver and wanted another weapon for Vick, who will be the full-time starter for the first time in this his second season after sharing time with departed veteran Chris Chandler a year ago.

At wideout, the only presence is possession WR Brian Finneran, who is a No. 3 at best.

The question now becomes, how will Dan Reeves employ all of his weapons? If Reeves stays true to his conservative nature, as he did despite personnel limitations in Denver, New York (with the Giants) and thus far in Atlanta, how do you exploit Vick and Dunn’s collective upside?

Vick, Dunn and Lelie would have been a threesome with a world of advantages and a home-run threat at three different positions. Wide receivers don’t traditionally have standout rookie seasons, with few exceptions. Bears WR David Terrell went eighth in 2001 but caught only 34 passes as a reserve last season. And for Lelie, known as less of a possession-and-speed guy than Terrell, rather a burner with hops, the adjustment may be more difficult.

That could have been the thinking of the Falcons, who could have their eyes on WRs Antonio Freeman and Derrick Alexander, players expected to be available June 1. One or two acquisitions of that stature, something Blank has demonstrated he won’t shy away from, could make us all forget about this draft-day "mistake."

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