Atlanta Falcons: Top Six Biggest Draft Busts Since 2001

Build through the draft, fill holes in free agency.

That's the time-old model for success in the NFL, and that's the mentality Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff brought over from the Patriots to Atlanta in 2008.

14 of the Falcons’ 22 starters last year were either drafted or signed by the team as a rookie free agent-- a big reason why Atlanta has reached the playoffs in three of the past four seasons.

Unfortunately, not all of Atlanta’s draft picks have panned out in the NFL.   

With the 2012 NFL draft right around the corner, let’s take a look at the Falcons’ worst draft selections of this past decade.

6. Chris Houston: 2nd Round, 2007 Draft

In 2007, the Atlanta Falcons selected cornerback Chris Houston with the 41st pick in the second round.

As talented as he was, Houston never quite lived up to expectations in Atlanta, recording only three interceptions in just three seasons with the Falcons.

Houston was an average corner who infamously had trouble turning his head around to locate the ball during his tenure with the Falcons. That habit led to many touchdowns for opposing receivers and earned the former Arkansas Razorback the title of "Crisp" Houston among fans.

But it would appear a change of scenery and a few corrections to his technique was all Houston needed to turn his career around. He has since gone on to have a breakout season in 2011 for the Detroit Lions, recording a career-high five interceptions.

5. Bryan Scott: 2nd Round, 2003 Draft

The Falcons thought they had their free safety of the future when they selected Bryan Scott with the 55th overall pick in the 2003 draft.

Unfortunately, he fell way short of those expectations.  

Scott looked promising after earning the starting free safety position in 2004, starting every game on his way to ranking third on the team in tackles with 85, adding 2.5 sacks and an interception to his name.

However, he regressed mightily the following year, when poor run support led him to be benched 12 games into the 2005 season. His cover skills weren't far behind: Scott recorded just four interceptions in 43 appearances for the Falcons.

The former Nittany Lion went on to be traded to the Saints in 2006, where he lasted a year before spending the past five seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

4. Sam Baker: 1st Round, 2008 Draft

The Atlanta Falcons selected Sam Baker 21st overall in the 2008 draft, with the expectation he would be the cornerstone left tackle to the team's new franchise quarterback.

Yet while Matt Ryan has turned into one of Atlanta's brightest stars, Baker's is fading away fast.

The former USC Trojan became Ryan's full-time blindside protector in 2009 and 2010, but has been in a decline ever since. Baker was arguably the weakest link on a Falcons' offensive line which allowed Matt Ryan to be sacked a career-high 26 times in 2011.   

Injuries and poor pass protection last year cost Baker his starting job, as he went on to earn Pro Football Focus' second-to-last ranking in pass blocking efficiency.

Falcons head coach Mike Smith says he remains committed to Baker, but barring massive improvement in 2012 this pick has bust written all over it.

3. Jimmy Williams: 2nd Round, 2006 Draft

Imagine Bryan Scott, but worse. That's how I feel anyway when it comes to Jimmy Williams.

Falcons fans thought they got a steal when the big, physical cornerback out of Virginia Tech fell to Atlanta's pick at 37th overall in 2006.

But there's a reason he slipped down that far.

Williams never lived up to his potential with the Falcons, recording just 24 tackles and defending one pass in his rookie season before being arrested for possession of marijuana in 2007. It was more of the same for Williams that season, recording just 16 tackles, two pass deflections and one interception after being moved to the free safety position.

He was promptly cut in 2008 at the arrival of Dimitroff, who stays clear of players with character, maturity, and work ethic concerns—all of which applied to Williams.

Williams received a one-year suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy in 2009, and remains a free agent today.

2. Peria Jerry: 1st Round, 2009 Draft

While Jerry's situation is one that isn't entirely in his control, there's no denying he has failed to live up to his first-round draft status.

The Falcons hoped Jerry's history of injuries would stay in college when they selected him 24th overall in 2009. But fate had other plans for the massive defensive tackle out of Mississippi, as a major knee injury two games into his rookie season put him injured reserve.

While Jerry has gone on to appear in all 32 games of the past two seasons, his stat sheet doesn't exactly show signs of great production: 19 tackles and one forced fumble in 2010 and 2011 combined.

He was quickly surpassed on the depth chart by rookie Corey Peters in 2010, who has developed into the disruptive defensive tackle Jerry was supposed to be.

Like Baker, Smith says he remains committed to Jerry, but realistically that won't be as anything more than an average rotational player in 2012 and beyond—far from what's expected of a former first-round pick.

1. Jamaal Anderson: 1st Round, 2007 Draft

There's no doubt about this one.

Despite being a raw defensive end coming off of just one full season as a starter for the Razorbacks, the Falcons selected Jamaal Anderson with the eighth overall pick in the 2007 draft.

They hoped he would help shore up a pass rush that just saw its starting left end, Patrick Kerney, leave the team for the Seattle Seahawks.

What they got instead was a colossal failure.

Anderson posted a pedestrian 4.5 sacks and 105 tackles in four seasons with the team before being cut in 2011.

He went on to spend a season in Indianapolis, where he wasn't much better, before recently becoming a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.

While he ended up developing into a decent rotational run stopper at the defensive end and tackle positions for the Falcons, there's no denying Anderson came nowhere near meeting the lofty expectations that come with being a top ten draft pick.