OFFICIAL 2025 Falcons Thread (2026 / 1st RD pick)

[Allen2McVay]

#8 Kadyn Proctor (Alabama T) 6ft 6in, 365 lbs.

I am Deathly Afraid of Kadyn Proctor ... and, all I know about Proctor is that he is a huge OT from Alabama.

There have been so many Huge Alabama Offensive Tackles projected and drafted high who have busted.

I mean Major Busts ... and, I don't use the term "bust" lightly. In fact, I think it's used far too freely.

I'm not talking about interior-OL; or, even, athletic Left Tackles (Chris Samuels / 3rd overall in 2000).

Talking OTs that were among the largest players in the years they were drafted, projected to go high, then drafted high ... and, All of them were below-average at the very best. Most Needed to move inside to Guard.

I can't recall a single Alabama OT that falls under that profile who has not been a bust.

Andre Smith (6th overall / 2009)
James Carpenter (25th overall / 2011)
DJ Fluker (11th overall / 2013)
Cyrus Kouandjio (44th overall / 2014)
Alex Leatherwood (17th overall / 2021)
Evan Neal (7th overall / 2022)

JC Latham (7th / 2024) ... no idea how effective he has been in a year-and-half ... the Jury is Out.

Don't miss-understand me. Wanting the Rams to avoid a player simply because he falls under a Profile is an AWFUL REASON to not want a specific player drafted ... BUT ...

 

[dieterbrock]

Sure but we all know some years that 1 overall is graded higher than other years. And the way I read it is a lot of his issues in disrespect relate back to not all the scouts seeing him as a slam dunk, or not liking his small hands, or whatever else.

Pretty much agree with you here. Goff proved to be a worthy #1 overall pick. As I see it, the criticism was always more geared to the Goff vs Wentz debate than towards Goff as a pick. Heck, Howie Roseman (who many feel is the best GM in the game) traded up as far as he could to take whichever of the 2 QB's fell to #2.
Particularly in Rams circles I feel the folks that wanted Wentz (the tractor lol) never warmed up to Goff, and the shit stain on 16 for that treacherous rookie season with the buffoon HC never quite wore off either.
Alas, regardless of who a guy projects to be like, whether its a Mendoza being Goff-like or a Mateer being Baker Mayfield like, one should always hope (expect) that the player will exceed that player not make them the ceiling
I just cant think of a better spot for a young QB to be in than to be the #2/3 QB behind Stafford for a season

 

[Memphis Ram]

I get this rationale and understand why you'd want immediate return on investment. For any other position I wouldn't mind abiding by that principle.

But when you're talking QBotF, you make exceptions to good principles. With the way the Rams are run, it's very unlikely they will be anywhere close to drafting this high for the foreseeable future.

If you can get a franchise QB for the next 15 years you gotta take it. Focusing on playing time in season one feels super shortsighted.

Five years from now when Stafford is gone and they're struggling to find a franchise QB because McVay is too good of a coach and Snead drafts too well for the team to be a bottom feeder, they'd be kicking themselves if they didn't secure the future with the outrageous gift from Atlanta.

I get what you are saying. But that's the same thinking that led the Falcons to select Michael Pennix after signing Kirk Cousins only they didn't have to trade up.

I just believe the only way you forgo that principle is if somehow you could obtain the next John Elway, Peyton Manning, or Andrew Luck. True slam dunks. Not Fernando Mendoza.

 

[OldSchool]

Sure but we all know some years that 1 overall is graded higher than other years. And the way I read it is a lot of his issues in disrespect relate back to not all the scouts seeing him as a slam dunk, or not liking his small hands, or whatever else.


He is a bigger and more athletic Goff. Look Goff is a better athlete than people realize, but he doesn't like to run. He's a pocket QB and he can win from the pocket. And from me that's a compliment. But if you put Mendoza in that draft with him way back when he'd go before Goff would.

But that is true also about a lot of QBs. I don't think Goff was some high and mighty prospect. He is a guy who has outperformed what many thought of him when he came out. It's why he faced so much disrespect when he first started out and everyone was shitting on him, or even after he began to outplay what everyone thought he was. The way it ended all of us had divisions on how we saw it. But up to that point most of us were on the same page, that Goff never really got the respect he deserved and the root of that is he wasn't viewed as your typical one overall pick.

We'll never know where the Rams had him in his grade. And it probably doesn't matter as he has outplayed it. Whereas Mendoza still has to show he can belong in this league, so the argument is a waste of time. I'm simply sharing my take on how I see them head to head as prospects.

I was going to write a long response but honestly I don't think many people if any are capable of giving an honest assessment or even a comparison for Goff around Ramdon. Add to that Goff gets discussed more than he needs yo and most often by people who fall in my category above.

The way I see the two in very simple terms is Mendoza is much more athletic. Let's say a 4 of 5 compared to a 2.5. Goff was asked to do and did a lot more as a passer than Mendoza so flip those around. Goff was asked to do more pre and post snap and Mendoza plays in a 1 read offense.

There's the difference to me.

 

[OldSchool]

I am Deathly Afraid of Kadyn Proctor ... and, all I know about Proctor is that he is a huge OT from Alabama.

There have been so many Huge Alabama Offensive Tackles projected and drafted high who have busted.

I mean Major Busts ... and, I don't use the term "bust" lightly. In fact, I think it's used far too freely.

I'm not talking about interior-OL; or, even, athletic Left Tackles (Chris Samuels / 3rd overall in 2000).

Talking OTs that were among the largest players in the years they were drafted, projected to go high, then drafted high ... and, All of them were below-average at the very best. Most Needed to move inside to Guard.

I can't recall a single Alabama OT that falls under that profile who has not been a bust.

Andre Smith (6th overall / 2009)
James Carpenter (25th overall / 2011)
DJ Fluker (11th overall / 2013)
Cyrus Kouandjio (44th overall / 2014)
Alex Leatherwood (17th overall / 2021)
Evan Neal (7th overall / 2022)

JC Latham (7th / 2024) ... no idea how effective he has been in a year-and-half ... the Jury is Out.

Don't miss-understand me. Wanting the Rams to avoid a player simply because he falls under a Profile is an AWFUL REASON to not want a specific player drafted ... BUT ...

View attachment 73408

Now do all the other positions drafted high and their high profile busts. Now you are back to not drafting in the first.

Besides Proctor is a LT we seem to not need. Focus on the RT guys both the Utah boys, Dunker, Maulgoa and a handful of others.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Now do all the other positions drafted high and their high profile busts.

No ... I put in a fair amount of research. Your turn.

Can you name any Alabama OTs, that fit the profile I provided, who were not Busts?

Maybe I missed some. And, by-the-way, some of the Tackles listed played on the left side at Alabama.

 

[Loyal]

Now do all the other positions drafted high and their high profile busts. Now you are back to not drafting in the first.

Besides Proctor is a LT we seem to not need. Focus on the RT guys both the Utah boys, Dunker, Maulgoa and a handful of others.

Except the blood clot issue with Jackson seems to pop up a lot. I don't trust that one day a doc will say you have to retire... Draft Proctor and start him at RT, until he's needed at LT.

 

[OldSchool]

No ... I put in a fair amount of research. Your turn.

Can you name any Alabama OTs, that fit the profile I provided, who were not Busts?

Maybe I missed some. And, by-the-way, some of the Tackles listed played on the left side at Alabama.

The most recent one JC Latham is about the only good OL in Tennessee from what I hear but that wasnt my point. If you worry about OL bust from any college you will end up not drafting OL in the first. If you dig hard enough you can find a reason to not draft any position from just about every college except maybe TE from Penn St or Iowa.

Draft the player not that colleges past.

 

[OldSchool]

Except the blood clot issue with Jackson seems to pop up a lot. I don't trust that one day a doc will say you have to retire... Draft Proctor and start him at RT, until he's needed at LT.

I was shit on to no end for bringing up his clotting issue before we signed him so that's all I'll say on it ATM.

We need a clear RT for the future so I'm grabbing one as a priority, doesn't have to be a first though. Then I'm drafting a LT as well since we could use a backup too.

 

[Allen2McVay]

The most recent one JC Latham is about the only good OL in Tennessee from what I hear but that wasn't my point. If you worry about OL bust from any college you will end up not drafting OL in the first. If you dig hard enough you can find a reason to not draft any position from just about every college except maybe TE from Penn St or Iowa.

Draft the player not that colleges past.

Did you even read my post?

I clearly addressed every point you made. AND, we agree.

I mentioned Latham specifically, and wrote the "Jury is out"

Of course, there are busts (at every position, from every major school) ... The DIFFERENCE HERE is that there are No Exceptions that fit the Profile I clearly laid-out ... unless you can name one.

I also Clearly state the absurdity of my thought process in two places ...
"all I know about Proctor is that he is a huge OT from Alabama"
... and later-on ...
"Wanting the Rams to avoid a player simply because he falls under a Profile is an AWFUL REASON to not want a specific player drafted."

I even highlighted my point with a Phil Dunphy image/quote ... almost went with a Ron Burgundy btw

And, as a Rams' fan, you should know that there have been TE busts from Penn State and Iowa ...
Remember Troy Drayton (much more of a disappointment than a bust) and Joe Klopfenstein?

 

[Memento]

Did you even read my post?

I clearly addressed every point you made. AND, we agree.

I mentioned Latham specifically, and wrote the "Jury is out"

Of course, there are busts (at every position, from every major school) ... The DIFFERENCE HERE is that there are No Exceptions that fit the Profile I clearly laid-out ... unless you can name one.

I also Clearly state the absurdity of my thought process in two places ...
"all I know about Proctor is that he is a huge OT from Alabama"
... and later-on ...
"Wanting the Rams to avoid a player simply because he falls under a Profile is an AWFUL REASON to not want a specific player drafted."

I even highlighted my point with a Phil Dunphy image/quote ... almost went with a Ron Burgundy btw

And, as a Rams' fan, you should know that there have been TE busts from Penn State and Iowa ...
Remember Troy Drayton (much more of a disappointment than a bust) and Joe Klopfenstein?

Slight correction: Klopfenstein was a Colorado Buffalo, born and raised in Colorado.

 

[OldSchool]

Did you even read my post?

I clearly addressed every point you made. AND, we agree.

I mentioned Latham specifically, and wrote the "Jury is out"

Of course, there are busts (at every position, from every major school) ... The DIFFERENCE HERE is that there are No Exceptions that fit the Profile I clearly laid-out ... unless you can name one.

I also Clearly state the absurdity of my thought process in two places ...
"all I know about Proctor is that he is a huge OT from Alabama"
... and later-on ...
"Wanting the Rams to avoid a player simply because he falls under a Profile is an AWFUL REASON to not want a specific player drafted."

I even highlighted my point with a Phil Dunphy image/quote ... almost went with a Ron Burgundy btw

And, as a Rams' fan, you should know that there have been TE busts from Penn State and Iowa ...
Remember Troy Drayton (much more of a disappointment than a bust) and Joe Klopfenstein?

On my phone browsed it while working sorry. Back to work.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Not sure he's a bust yet. But, JC Latham has been a disappointment for the Titans.

They mistakenly tried to make him a LT and that didn't work so they gave Dan Moore Jr. a huge free agent contract and moved him to RT.

From what I understand so far he's allowed 6 sacks and has had 7 penalties even after missing 4 games. But, some of that could be on the rookie QB.

 

[Flatlyner]

I am Deathly Afraid of Kadyn Proctor ... and, all I know about Proctor is that he is a huge OT from Alabama.

There have been so many Huge Alabama Offensive Tackles projected and drafted high who have busted.

I mean Major Busts ... and, I don't use the term "bust" lightly. In fact, I think it's used far too freely.

I'm not talking about interior-OL; or, even, athletic Left Tackles (Chris Samuels / 3rd overall in 2000).

Talking OTs that were among the largest players in the years they were drafted, projected to go high, then drafted high ... and, All of them were below-average at the very best. Most Needed to move inside to Guard.

I can't recall a single Alabama OT that falls under that profile who has not been a bust.

Andre Smith (6th overall / 2009)
James Carpenter (25th overall / 2011)
DJ Fluker (11th overall / 2013)
Cyrus Kouandjio (44th overall / 2014)
Alex Leatherwood (17th overall / 2021)
Evan Neal (7th overall / 2022)

JC Latham (7th / 2024) ... no idea how effective he has been in a year-and-half ... the Jury is Out.

Don't miss-understand me. Wanting the Rams to avoid a player simply because he falls under a Profile is an AWFUL REASON to not want a specific player drafted ... BUT ...

View attachment 73408

I think something else needs to be added to this conversation, Proctor has not been fantastic this year. I'd be surprised if he ended up in the top 10 and would not be happy if it was us picking him.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Slight correction: Klopfenstein was a Colorado Buffalo, born and raised in Colorado.

Thank you

 

[WestCoastRam]

I think the thing that also gets lost with Goff (and I count myself as a fan) is his mental makeup. If Goff just had a killer instinct, a will to win, more confidence in himself, a slightly more gunslinging mentality (he has it when things are going well but then it wilts when consistent pressure gets to him), he could be a top QB in this game even without the Oline and weapons in Detroit (though those are deteriorating).

I'm kinda meh on getting a guy like Goff high in the draft but if you could give me Goff with a 40% more soul stealing mentality, I'm for it.

 

[Stl2La]

View: https://x.com/jetcastpod/status/1991300573925192044?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

 

[Mojo Ram]

Million dollar question for the board.

Premises:

Let's say Mendoza is equal to Goff or slightly Goff plus.
Let's also say we have pick 7-8 from Atlanta.
Let's say that the Titans and the Giants retain the first two picks and are willing to trade.

Do you make a move up for Mendoza with a plan to sit him behind Stafford for a year or two?

No. I don’t want another Goff type, if that’s this guys comp.

Give me an
uber-competitive type with elite instincts and the ability to step up when shit around him isn’t working. I’d sacrifice some arm tools if necessary.

If we draft a QB in the top 5 the Rams better feel REALLY good about the whole package.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I also don’t care much about completion % trophies.

The better QB’s fall in and around league average in that category anyway.

It’s really too bad that Mayfield was in horns but the timing wasn’t right in relation to Stafford’s career. The stars didn’t align.

 

[dieterbrock]

I also don’t care much about completion % trophies.

The better QB’s fall in and around league average in that category anyway.

It’s really too bad that Mayfield was in horns but the timing wasn’t right in relation to Stafford’s career. The stars didn’t align.

Mendoza has the dog in him that Goff doesnt have