re: Falcons: Neal it is, what you think?

Kam Chancellor he is not.

6'3" - 230+ v. 6'0" 210ish

Strong Safety position has nowhere near the value that it has had in the past due to limitations around defenseless receivers, targeting, etc. The traditional "thumper" just isn't the same. While he can still lay waste to receivers coming over the middle, he likely won't be able to stand up to repeated pounding as he has to come in to provide run support against some of the bigger backs in the league. Realistically, we're probably 3-5 seasons (at most) before we're looking at lingering injury risks for the kid... at that point, isn't Myles Jack a better option, given the severe need that we have at the position and the relative availability of safety prospects that will be around in the 2nd/3rd round?

Again, it's not like they grabbed a 5th rounder in round 1, but Neal realistically *could* have been available in round 2 or early 3rd (likely wouldn't have made it to us there). And even were he not available, there are other high quality safety candidates out there at better value than 17th overall.

I feel like Kirby's take on safeties, looking for coverage skills first, and then how well they fit from a stylistic/body type perspective is really what has been happening in the NFL as well with the top tier teams. It's not worth having a guy on the field who is a liability in coverage when you may be covering 4 WRs, 3 WRs & a TE, or a RB flexing out of the backfield.

Hopefully Neal works out, but I do not share the same faith that he's going to be a good value where we picked him up. And given the fact that we only had 5 picks to work with, getting 2nd round value out of your 1st round pick is a mistake no matter how you slice it unless they're right and every other team is wrong. Out of 31 other teams, the only one that might have considered Neal in the 1st is the Jets based on all the mocks I've seen and considering needs. I just don't see why there was a race to grab a lower tier prospect.