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Atlanta Falcons: 5 worst NFL Draft picks of all time

By Josh Barnhill

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HOUSTON, TX- AUGUST 16: Sam Baker #72 of the Atlanta Falcons is carted off the field after hurting his knee against the Houston Texans in the second quarter in a pre-season NFL game on August 16, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX- AUGUST 16: Sam Baker #72 of the Atlanta Falcons is carted off the field after hurting his knee against the Houston Texans in the second quarter in a pre-season NFL game on August 16, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

No. 5: Sam Baker

The Falcons were in rebuild mode for the 2008 NFL Draft. Bobby Petrino had just bolted amid the Michael Vick scandal so Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff were ushered in as head coach and GM. The good news was that they had two first round draft picks to get started.

With the third overall pick, they selected Matt Ryan to be the franchise quarterback. Through eight years that has proven to be a wise pick.

With the 21st pick in the draft, they decided to protect his blind side with a left tackle: Sam Baker out of Southern Cal.

Usually, first round offensive linemen are a pretty safe bet. You plug them into your lineup and pencil them in for a decade. Not so much with Baker.

It’s not that he didn’t have the talent, but he couldn’t stay healthy. That’s probably not his fault, but it doesn’t excuse him from being a draft bust.

He was only able to play in eight games as a rookie but bounced back for a couple of decent seasons in 2009 and 2010. Then in 2011, the injury bug struck again allowing him to start just five games. By 2013, he was down to just four games and in 2014 he never earned a start.

Baker is now two years removed from playing in an NFL game at age 30.

Next: No. 4

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