NFL preseason 2015: Players with most to prove

Dec 21, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) reacts after an incomplete pass during the third quarter against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Jets 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

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Vic Beasley (Clemson) poses for a photo after being selected as the number eighth overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Falcons – Vic Beasley Jr.

Why is he the pick?

Last season, the Falcons had the worst defensein the NFL. They could not stop the run, they could not stop the pass, and they certainly could not get a rush on the quarterback. In fact, nobody was able to register five sacks for Atlanta all season, showcasing what a major problem exists in the front seven. Due to that, general manager Thomas Dimitroff spent the seventh-overall pick on Vic Beasley out of the University of Clemson.

Beasley will be playing as a 4-3 defensive end, hoping to give Kroy Biermann some help. Beasley is a tremendous athlete at 6-foot-3 and 246 pounds. if he can adjust to the NFL and learn under former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator and first-year head coach Dan Quinn, things could be looking up for the Falcons.

What is at stake?

Atlanta has no shot of making any noise in the NFC South if the defense isn’t markedly improved. Without a serious pass-rush, the improvement won’t be enough. Beasley is the one man that Dimitroff brought in this offseason who is capable of causing disruption off the edge. Beasley might be a rookie, but he has plenty of pressure on him.

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