Atlanta Falcons: 5 Players They Will Regret Passing on in the 2012 NFL Draft

The NFL draft has reached its end, and while some fans are excited with their team’s selections, others are left in frustration.   

The latter is true in Atlanta, where the Falcons’ selection of Lamar Holmes in the third round—a sixth-round projection—has caused quite the stir.

But there’s a lot of reason to trust Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff. He deserves immense credit for heading Atlanta’s turnaround, and it’s no coincidence he was named Executive of the Year for the second time in three seasons. 

Drafting well is a big reason why, and it looks as though 2012 brought in another solid crop of young talent to Atlanta.

Yet as satisfied as I am with the Falcons’ selections this year, I can’t help but wonder if they missed out on some potential future stars.

We won’t know for sure until two or three years down the line, but here are five prospects the Atlanta Falcons may one day regret passing on in the 2012 Draft.

OT, Mike Adams

Many draft experts say the Atlanta Falcons got great value with their selection of center Peter Konz at No. 55 overall.

While I also believe the Falcons landed a solid player in Konz, I can’t help wonder if they may have missed out on an even better one in offensive tackle Mike Adams.

Like many general managers before him, Dimitroff, who puts great weight on character and leadership qualities, likely was turned off by Adams’ failed drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine.

And that’s unfortunate, because Adams would have filled an immediate need at the left tackle position.

Adams has prototypical size for the position at 6’7” and 323 pounds and his footwork has earned him great praise as well. His strength is something to work on after posting up just 19 repetitions in the bench press, but that weakness aside, Adams has all the tools to be a cornerstone left tackle for many years to come.

For now, Falcons fans will have to hope Lamar Holmes is much better than advertised, or the decision to pass on Adams may haunt them for a long time.

DE, Vinny Curry

Despite re-signing John Abraham in the offseason, the Atlanta Falcons had to address the defensive end position in the draft.

While they did so with the selection of Jonathan Massaquoi in the fifth round, the Falcons might have found a much better suitor had they selected Vinny Curry with their opening pick.

Curry proved to be a fierce pass-rusher with a relentless motor in college, recording over 100 tackles and 26.5 sacks in his four-year career at Marshall.

I believe he immediately could have upgraded Atlanta’s weak pass rush and would have been a fantastic successor to the aging John Abraham. There’s no doubt in my mind he quickly would have surpassed under-performers Lawrence Sidbury and Kroy Biermann on the depth chart. 

Curry will instead be wearing Eagles’ green in 2012, and a solid rookie season could have the Falcons wondering why they ever passed him up in the draft.   

DT, Brandon Thompson

When I saw Brandon Thompson was still available when Atlanta was on the clock in the third round, I was certain he would be the pick.

Instead, they went with little-known offensive tackle Lamar Holmes.  

While I’m going to give Holmes a shot before labeling him a bust, I can’t help but think the Falcons passed on a potential star in Brandon Thompson.

Thompson was considered one of the best all-around defensive tackles available in the draft with NFL-ready strength and explosiveness to contribute immediately.

That’s something the Falcons desperately need after fielding one of the league’s weaker defensive lines in 2011. They did look to address the position in the draft, but waited until the seventh round to do so with their selection of Travian Robertson. 

Time will tell if that was the right decision, but the answer may be a resounding “no” unless Atlanta’s defensive tackle group vastly improves this season.

TE, Orson Charles

Many mock drafts, my own included, had the Atlanta Falcons finally addressing the tight end position this year.

But Dimitroff neglected the position once again, and this time it looks like he missed out on a potential game-changer in Orson Charles.

A physical blocker and an even better receiver, Charles’ disappointing pro day performance and his arrest a month before the draft dropped him down from a top-ranked prospect to a fourth-round selection.  

He’s a raw player who doesn’t have prototypical measurables with a 6’2” frame, but there’s no denying Charles is a gifted athlete whose superb athleticism could have him and Jermaine Gresham becoming a formidable dual threat much like Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in New England. 

In Atlanta, Charles might have become a dynamic successor to Tony Gonzalez, and it'll be a shame the Falcons missed out on him if he ends up developing into a game-changer in Cincinnati.

CB/S, DeQuan Menzie

The Falcons addressed the safety position with Charles Mitchell in the sixth round, but I think they missed out on a player with much more upside in DeQuan Menzie.

Having played at Alabama, Menzie got the opportunity to play under one of the better football minds in Nick Saban as well as compete against top-quality talent in the SEC, arguably college football’s best conference.

Menzie doesn’t have the best size at 5’11” and 202 pounds, but his aggressive nature and  ability to play both the cornerback and safety positions would have made him a perfect fit in Mike Nolan’s defense.

Ultimately, Menzie may have provided the Falcons with not only solid special teams play in his first few seasons, but also much-needed depth at both safety positions with great potential to eventually earn a starting job.