NFL Draft results 2015: Atlanta Falcons take Vic Beasley with No. 8 pick

The Atlanta Falcons wanted their guy to fall to them at No. 8 overall, and that’s exactly what happened.

 The Atlanta Falcons are a team that on paper, appears to be on or two moves away from being a contender. After all, the team was right in the middle of the race for the NFC South title until they lost three of their final four games of the season.

The team’s biggest needs in the draft are going to be improving their pass rush, their running game and their offensive line. Atlanta needs help at tight end as well, but there is no chance that they would reach for one this high in the draft. At the No. 8 spot in the first round, and with Iowa’s Brandon Scherff coming off of the board to the Washington Redskins at pick No. 5, a pass rushing defensive end, outside linebacker or running back seemed to be the choice that Atlanta had to make.

Leonard Williams was selected next by the New York Jets, leaving a running back as the best option left, unless the Falcons think Shane Ray’s recent legal trouble is behind him.

Todd Gurley is one of the most talented prospects in the draft, and clearly the top running back in the draft, but is a running back coming off of a serious ACL injury worthy of a Top 10 pick, even one as talented as Gurley?

Apparently not, but Vic Beasley, an outside linebacker from Clemson, is no consolation prize. He is an athletic freak with an NFL-body, and can step in immediately as a pass rushing threat, just what the team needed.

While Beasley may not be a future Hall of Fame player, he will be a nice asset to have chasing down quarterbacks Drew Brees, Cam Newton and, now, Jameis Winston in the NFC South.