Atlanta, GA
Who is the biggest draft bust in Atlanta Falcons history?
We’ve seen some big swings from The Falcons over the years: officially closing the door on the Michael Vick era with the selection of Matt Ryan at No. 3 in 2008 and trading up for Julio Jones in 2011 are two fairly recent examples that come to mind. Even just last year, Atlanta stunned the world by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. after bringing in veteran Kirk Cousins on a very pricy deal with an eye-popping amount of guaranteed money.
There have also been some big NFL Draft whiffs from this front office over the years, and that’s who we’re here to talk about today. Who is the biggest draft bust in Falcons history?
Here are our thoughts. Scroll down to the comments to share yours.
Jamaal Anderson, defensive end, 2007
Four and a half sacks on nearly 1,400 pass-rushing snaps. That’s a whole lot less production than you’d expect to get out of the eighth overall pick, unless that pick was absolutely not a pass rusher. Unfortunately for Jamaal Anderson, he was very much expected to be a pass rusher, and it did not pan out at all. Pro Football Focus named him the Falcons’ worst pick since 2006, and I tend to agree.
In his four seasons in Atlanta, Anderson did barely anything. He had 104 tackles — 83 solo — the aforementioned 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and nine pass breakups. He went on to have his best season with the Colts in 2011 — and his best season was three sacks. The Falcons haven’t had much luck in the past couple of decades with edge rushers who aren’t named John Abraham, and Jamaal Anderson is one of the biggest disappointments. – Jeanna Kelley
Peria Jerry, defensive tackle, 2009
The 2025 draft class has been all about the defensive line. Analysts have said from the jump that this is the year to bolster the trenches if you need help, and no one needs it more than Atlanta.
This need has made me think about how the franchise got here in the first place, and Peria Jerry has always symbolized the trailhead. He wasn’t Thomas Dimitroff’s first mistake—that lovely award goes to Sam Baker—but he is arguably the most impactful. He set the stage for what would become a reoccurring issue for Dimitroff: his inability to add quality defensive linemen.
Jerry would essentially miss his entire rookie season due to a brutal knee injury. He was never able to earn a starting role until the final year of his rookie deal, which was the final year of his career. He amassed 5.5 sacks over five years. To add insult to injury, Perry was drafted over Clay Matthews Jr., the cousin of Falcon’s ironman Jake Matthews.
Clay would go on to have a decorated career, during which time he was recognized as one of the best defenders and pass rushers in the league. Jerry, like most Falcons defensive picks, would be judged harshly not only because he failed but because the options around him were tiers better. I don’t like to succumb to the idea that a single player will make all the difference for a team sport like football, but it is hard to deny when looking back at the franchise’s biggest blunders.—Tre’Shon Diaz
Bruce Pickens, cornerback, 1991
People throw out Jamaal Anderson, but he was the eighth pick. They mention Aundray Bruce, but he was actually a quality player for a few years, even if he fell well short of being worthy of the first overall pick. They mention Michael Booker because he flamed out so spectacularly, but he wasn’t even the worst Nebraska defensive back the Falcons have drafted.
That would be Pickens. He was the third overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft, picked just ahead of the excellent Todd Lyght at corner, quality defensive tackle Eric Swann, and great wide receiver Herman Moore. Even in a relatively weak first round, Pickens stands out as a terrible selection, as the fast but unproductive corner started in just eight games for the Falcons and managed two interceptions, appearing in just 48 games over the course of a four-year career with multiple teams. Considering the fact that he was a top five pick, the team badly needed a corner to pair with Deion Sanders and didn’t get one, and that Pickens basically did nothing for the franchise makes the ill-fated decision to draft him the worst in Atlanta’s history. —Dave Choate
Peter Konz, center, 2012
Peter Konz is saved from being at the top of most “bust” lists thanks to his second-round selection. Is Konz really that much worse than the Ra-Shede Hagemans and the Jimmy Williams of Falcons draft history? Let’s first take a look at the state of the Falcons at draft time: Matt Ryan was getting into his rhythm following a recent 2010 Pro Bowl nod; Thomas Dimitroff swung big on Julio Jones in the 2011 draft to pair with Roddy White; Jon Abraham was typically putting up double-digit sacks; Michael Turner just wrapped back-to-back 1300+ rush yard seasons. Honorable mentions go to William Moore, Tony Gonzalez and Jonathan Babineaux which highlights how absolutely stacked the roster was.
In 2012, the Falcons were short on picks thanks to the Julio trade. Knowing each pick was important, Thomas Dimitroff came away with guard/center Peter Konz, tackle Lamar Holmes, FB Bradie Ewing, EDGE Jonathan Massaquoi, safety Charles Mitchell, and DT Travian Robertson. If you’re keeping track, the whole draft class was a wash. Years out of the NFL, Dimitroff candidly admitted some late round selections were made on mere blurbs, or more problematically, Konz was drafted based on very little research. In short, Konz lands at Atlanta’s selection and gets picked mainly because he seems like a value pick who dropped. Instead, the rest of the NFL clearly wasn’t sold.
Konz first played poorly at guard. Thinking he’d be a better fit at his natural position of center, the organization pushed out veteran Todd McClure for a struggling young player. If you thought Jalen Mayfield was bad, Konz was worse, landing at 34 out of 35 centers by PFF his first year starting. There weren’t bright spots in his game — he just wasn’t up to play in the NFL. Even Jamaal Anderson was decent against the run while Konz struggled in all aspects. Konz setoff multiple down years for the Falcons as the offensive line spent years among the league’s worst. Tough to remember now that the Falcons are perennially out of the playoff race by mid December, but multiple years out of the playoffs for a team like the Falcons was a disappointment. Konz’s bust status cemented Atlanta’s three-year playoff drought. —Matt Chambers
Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -5.5; over/under is 216.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 113-102 on Saturday, led by 28 points from Jalen Brunson. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 26.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference games. New York has a 9-4 record in one-possession games.
The Hawks are 27-25 in Eastern Conference play. Atlanta is third in the league scoring 18.1 fast break points per game. McCollum leads the Hawks averaging 5.0.
The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks’ opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games.
Dyson Daniels is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.3 points and 2.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 40.7 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 117.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.0 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: day to day (oblique), Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (elbow).
Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks prediction, pick for Game 1 of 2026 NBA Playoffs first round
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks matchup in the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA playoffs are officially underway with a loaded opening round. Taking place in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the New York Knicks.
You can check out the full series preview on DraftKings Network here.
Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks enter as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hawks are +205 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 218.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference series opener.
Hawks vs. Knicks prediction, preview
The Atlanta Hawks went through a midseason transition, moving on from Trae Young after he headlined the production for the franchise for the past eight years. The Hawks have not missed a beat amid the major midseason shakeup, finishing as the sixth seed in the conference with a 46-36 overall record. On the season, Atlanta has gone 44-38 against the spread, and the game total has gone 41-41 to the over/under.
Jock Landale is the only player set to miss the matchup tonight. Jalen Johnson headlines the production, posting averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had a breakout season in a new location, adding 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. CJ McCollum adds 18.7 points and 4.1 assists across his first 41 games with the organization, while Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Jonathan Kuminga, and Zaccharie Risacher also play notable roles.
Quin Snyder’s group scores 118.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against Atlanta, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank ninth in defensive rating, 18th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage.
The New York Knicks entered the season with legitimate title aspirations. They have had some notable ups and downs, but now face this opportunity. New York finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and sit in third place in the East. The Knicks have gone 44-39 against the spread, and the game total has gone 38-45 to the over/under.
The Knicks enter this matchup with a clear injury report and a large sample size of the team playing together. Jalen Brunson headlines the production with 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitches in 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists of his own. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are responsible for the production at the wing positions, while Josh Hart sets the tone for this team from a hustle standpoint. New York also did an impressive job building out the bench unit this season, with players like Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Tyler Kolek capable of serving as X-factors off the bench.
As a team, the Knicks are scoring 116.5 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. New York also ranks third in offense rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against the Knicks, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in defensive rating, fifth in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Hawks vs. Knicks pick, best bet
These are two teams at different stages of their timeline, but neither will be afraid of this playoff spotlight. The Knicks pushed their chips in around this core and are hoping to be rewarded for it. They fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals last year and have made the postseason in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back years and turned a new page direction with Jalen Johnson now leading the charge. Without Trae Young, the Hawks now lean on more of a defensive-minded identity and have a roster loaded with athleticism.
During the regular season, these teams faced off three times. They split the first two matchups, which took place on December 27th and January 2nd. New York picked up a narrow 108-105 victory in the most recent game, which took place on April 6th. Both sides were aware that this was a potential postseason matchup, and this game had some major seeding implications. It was an evenly matched game in which neither team was able to extend a lead beyond 10 points, and the rebounding battle was separated by just one board. The biggest discrepancy came with the Knicks shooting 50% compared to the Hawks shooting 40%, and New York outscoring Atlanta 52-34 in the paint.
While there are higher expectations for this Knicks team in the postseason outlook, the Hawks stack up fairly well in this matchup. Jalen Brunson will be at the heart of the offensive attack for New York. But his biggest weakness is when he is guarded by high-level athletes with a size advantage over him. The Hawks have built out a roster loaded with this archetype of player, and there is not a clear matchup for Brunson to hunt in most lineup combinations.
Brunson has enough experience and savvy to will settle in over the course of the series. But expect some growing pains in the early parts of this matchup, and for this to be a huge hurdle for this Knicks team. I am backing the Hawks to cover the 5.5-point spread and would not be shocked if they steal the opening game. This is a series in which neither side should be expected to pull away by major margins throughout. Count on Atlanta to have defense success and have a clear gameplan for limiting the impact of Brunson. Expect this matchup to come down to the wire and take the points in the series opener.
Best Bet: Hawks +6.5 (-112)
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