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D.J. Shockley, if healthy, should be the starting QB for the Atlanta Falcons.


If healthy, Shockley should be the starter. D.J. is a really good quarterback. I know he hasn't played a down of regular season 'ball, but in college, he was great. He has had a couple of years to get a grasp on the game riding the pine, and he is far more gifted than anything they have on the roster right now (except Vick, which is still on the roster). I know Atlanta needs a hell of alot more help than QB, but it's a start.


Quinn Gray or Chris Redman

As much talent as Shockley displayed in college this is not time for the franchise to throw their hands in the air and give him a shot because he is simply present and hasnt proven to be a bust yet.

A serious knee injury to a QB who's main weapon is his legs cannot bode well for DJ.

I do not believe that the organization, whatever is left of it, is willing to give up on him. However, if he is not as elusive as before the injury, Atlanta will release the QB who has NEVER, even in college, shown to be a strong, consistent, and accurate passer.

Atlanta is not in position to start a completely untested QB, that should rule out drafting Ryan or starting even a healthy Shockley. They are depleted and untalented all over the field. It is important to have a proven commodity behind center.

Quinn Gray would be steady and focused, JP Losman could be available in a pre draft trade, or they could stick with Redman who has at least seen the business end of an NFL defense.

How about this scenario: ATL trades for Losman with Redman and a 5th rounder. Sounds like a win win for this Buffalo obsessed fan.

But either way DJ will compete as a No.2


Whoa! Whoa! JP Losman? Chris Redman? Quinn Gray? Who are these guys and why would ANYTHING they've done warrant them being a starter ANYWHERE? Shockley has shown just about as much as those guys, and he hasn't even played a down.

Losman- Lost his job to Trent Edwards. You didn't even know who Trent Edwards was 'til then.

Redman- Can't keep a job.

Gray- It's easy to play against 3rd stringers and people who aren't gonna be on the team in a couple of days.

The fact is D.J. in his senior year was pretty much unstoppable. He won the SEC, which is one of the toughest, if not the toughest, conference in NCAA with a dominating performance. And in the Sugar Bowl he had a 20-33 for 277yds 3td and ran for 71yd on 8 carries. They lost it, but it wasn't because of him.

He won the National Bobby Bowden Award and he also finished 3rd in voting for the Player of the Year award behind Vince Young and Reggie Bush.

You talk about his ACL tear, but his rehab is coming along with a scheduled full recovery. And it wasn't as bad as most. So, he'll be more mobile than anyone they have too. And the Falcons need that because their line really let them down last year.


All I am saying is that experience is where Atlanta should go for now. It is the prudent way to go.

What does college have to do with the NFL. Should I begin to delight you with the wonderful tales of Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich, Gino Torretta, Danny Weurfel, Ryan Leaf, Ken Dorsey, Tim Cou.......

The fact that he is a running QB is the second reason ATL should steer clear of annointing Shockley. Even IF he is healthy he is not near the caliber of athlete as Vick or Young. What on Earth do you think he will do with the football? Spread wings and fly to the endzone, because odds are, it will take him years to become a better passer.

Thirdly, he needs to be better than the other players on the roster. I can understand that starters are often chosen by pay grade and draft position, but eventually the best players play their way onto the field.

IF Shockley out performs Redman, or whoever else is on the roster, I say give him the job. But until I hear that his passing is better he will just be a capable athlete to plug into the No. 2 or 3 position.


He's NOT a running quarterback. He threw for 2588yd 24td 5int, and ran for only 322yd and 4td his senior year. I hardly think that classifies him as a runner. He is MOBILE, but no runner. And how can you say he's not a good passer. His rating was 148.3. That's pretty high.

And second, college has EVERYTHING to do with the NFL. Most great players are drafted. And where are they drafted from? The NFL. You name some busts, but do you really want me to name ALL the greats who came from college. I don't think I have space on this TD for it.

He might not be Vick or Young, but he's better than anyone you named.

And go for experience? Why? They need to find a quarterback of the future, not someone to patch up a hole for a year or two.

And come to think of it, Vince Young isn't a great passer either, but look what he's done. He may not ever be Vick or Young, but he will be D.J. Shockley, and given the chance, he might be better than both.

All I'm saying is that he is more gifted than anyone else they have and better than anyone else they could aquire, and deserves the chance to show the world he can play up there with the top half of the leagues quarterbacks.


Two things:

DJ Shockley will not be anywhere near "the top half" of QBs in the NFL. He may not even take a snap on the worst QB roster in the league. That is important not to miss, this is the worst QB roster "period"
and ...
Please stop using College stats, it is making my head hurt.

You seem to be hung up on his college performance. We could go back and forth all night discussing stats of NFL Greats and NFL Busts, but there has never been one NFL Great that did not beat out the competition for the starting spot.

Once again, IF Shockley outperforms Redman and Company, let him go out there, but IF they are close, you go with experience. Espescially when the team is on such fragile ground to begin with.

The nothing to lose attitude is going to get you nothing but loses.

Comments (25)

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I like what I read about them possibly skipping over a QB @ #3 to get a team around him first. That is a move only few GM's would make, more so even announce to the public. Kudos to the ATL FO for not goin for the "sexy" pick and actually try to help this team contend

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I doubt they take either, not whenDorsey, Chris, or Jake Long is available

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why not start Shockley? because he is "unproven"...Redmon and Gray are "proven" to be 2nd string quarterbacks since they have been in the league. The Falcons season is over before it begans so why not see what Shockley has. From a fans perspective (and the Falcons need those after Vick put them in the doghouse), Shockley would be fun to watch.

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RobertMenn said 03/06, 01:49 PM
"I know he hasn't played a down of regular season 'ball, but in college, he was great."

So was Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Ryan Leaf, Heath Shuler, Andre Ware, Todd Marinovich, Eric Crouch, etc.

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"So was Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Ryan Leaf, Heath Shuler, Andre Ware, Todd Marinovich, Eric Crouch, etc."

Guru welcomes Vilma & Gay | 03/06/08, 02:44 PM

so was peyton manning, tom brady, john elway, carson palmer, joe montana, etc. No one knows until he gets a chance. He would be marketable if he put up average passing numbers ala Vick

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Shockley should get the chance. Quinn Gray is the wildcard here. He showed himself to be a good QB in Jacksonville when he got the opportunity.

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I'm sure Shockley will compete with the other QB's on the team when training camp starts. At this point, what do the falcons have to lose, they've got nowhere to go but up.

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Yeah, like FLEX said, he would be marketable to the Georgia fans. As long as he won, numbers or not, he would put people in the seats.

And out of all the quarterbacks Buffalo Bandwagon mentioned, if we were drafting, I would take D.J. before any of them.

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------------------------------------------------------------->

The guy to the right needs to upgrade his football knowledge if he doesnt know who Losman, Gray or Redman are

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If Shockley wants the starting job, he must earn it. You just dont hand the starting job to someone just because he may be marketable. Or you just don't "give him a chance". He must go out there and earn it like every other player

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How do you not know who those people are??

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I cant believe you are using Shockleys collegiate stats to try and prove a point Robert. Shockley started 1 year for the Bulldogs, though it was a great year, he still hasnt proven himself just yet.

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Wow, I had no idea he only started one year.

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djroxalot, I know who they are, but they are nobody's and their game proves it. It was sarcasm, if you didn't catch it.

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I use his college stats because that's what you use when you draft someone to start for you, don't you? He was great for that year, when he got the chance to show you what he has.

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You're right Guru, he hasn't proven anything, but he has proven just about as much as anyone else on that depth chart. His first preseason game was lackluster, but in his second he was having a great game before his injury.

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Losman has shown he is a decent starter, Gray showed flashes last year........

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You realize you are basing his annointment on roughly 13 College games and 1 1/2 preseason NFL games right?

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Robert, apparantly he isnt proving much to anyone. If he doesnt prove himself in camp, He wont get the job. Also, how can you say Redman did not prove himself? He played quite well last year against actualy 1st stringers while Shockley cant even perform consistantly in preseason games versus 2nd-3rd stringers.

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I like the trading for Losman Idea.

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