The Core- Atlanta Falcons

Lets go over the qualifications to make my list. In order to be a "core" guy, you must
A) Be drafted by the current team or signed as a rookie free agent, or signed as a free agent before the player ever appeared for another team
B) Have 4 or less years of experience
C) Drafted 3rd round or later

Atlanta Falcons

Chris Owens, CB, 3rd round, 2009
Atlanta's biggest flaw could be secondary, but the team hopes Owens can turn that around. A physical corner with a bit of upside, he could play a big role in the team's future.

Lawrence Sidbury, DE, 4th round, 2009
Sidbury is a smart player who needs to learn to play more fundamentally sound. John Abraham isn't getting any younger, and the team would love to see Sidbury become his successor.

Kroy Biermann, DE, 5th round, 2008
An absolute steal in the 5th round, Biermann is already a starter in Atlanta. He is undersized, but he is wreaking havoc off the edge. He had two sacks in the season opener and is only getting better.

Thomas DeCoud, S, 3rd round, 2008
A huge building block in the secondary, DeCoud already has two interceptions in his 6 starts this season. He could be the future at safety in Atlanta.

Jerious Norwood, RB, 3rd round, 2006
While this pick was two regimes ago, Norwood is still a valuable player no matter who's in charge. He averages 5.7 yards a carry in his career and is a great change of pace for the bruising Michael Turner.

Jason Snelling, RB, 7th round, 2007
The third cog in this dangerous backfield, Snelling is coming on of late. He is arguably the most versatile fullback in the league and they are only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

Brent Grimes, CB, Undrafted, 2006
After honing his skills in NFL Europe and the practice squad, Grimes was elevated to the starting role early last season. While he eventually relenquised the job, he is still a solid contributor in the secondary and is back in the starters role following Brian Williams' injury.

Stephen Nicholas, LB, 4th round, 2007
Another mid-round pick, another starter. Nicholas has stepped in this year and is playing well. He could be a future star.

Harry Douglas, WR, 3rd round, 2008
A torn ACL ended Douglas' 2009 season early, he showed just what he can do in 2008. Douglas tasted paydirt via punt return, rush, and a reception. He should be an integral part of the offense in 2010.

Chevis Jackson, CB, 3rd round, 2008
Jackson had 1 start last year and he also had a 95 yard pick six in his rookie season. He hasn't seen much time in the secondary this season, but he has the most upside of any player in the defensive backfield.

Overall forecast: Despite three different regimes since 2006, Atlanta has still built an impressive talent base, especially on defense. Many of these players are starting already, and contributing immensely to the 11th ranked defense. The Falcons have one of the best young rosters in the league, and could be here to stay.