Vic Beasley

Though both are products of the Clemson football program, Beasley's career has traveled along a trajectory completely opposite to that of Grady Jarrett. A highly-touted prospect who ended up the No. 8 overall pick in 2015, Beasley came out of the gates on absolute fire, racking up 11 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and an NFL-best 15.5 sacks by his second pro season. Since then, however, his production has dwindled substantially. His fifth-year option of $12.8 million once seemed guaranteed to be picked up by the team, but that decision was a difficult one for the front office to make and was greeted with much dissension from the fan base once finally agreed to. Over the past 30 games, he's managed 10 sacks, an underwhelming tally for a player who once offered so much promise. But the Falcons' brass still sees elite upside in Beasley, who will be expected to spark the team's pass rush in 2019 opposite Takkarist McKinley.

It appeared inevitable that Beasley was on his way to NFL superstardom after he paced the league with 15.5 sacks and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2016, but a hamstring injury and a position change to outside linebacker stymied his productivity as a pass rusher last season. When Duke Riley suffered a knee injury in a Week 7 matchup against New England, the Falcons were forced to shuffle their front seven, which resulted in Beasley assuming an outside linebacker role for six games. With a fully-rehabilitated group of linebackers, Beasley will return to his natural position of defensive end in 2018, where he will be capable of utilizing his dynamic skills as a speed rusher to reach the double-digit sack threshold for the second time in four years.

The Falcons appear to have struck gold with Beasley, the eighth overall selection in the 2015 draft. Beasley posted four sacks during his rookie season, and while the Falcons were optimistic he could build on those numbers as a sophomore, few expected him to finish the year as the league leader in sacks with 15.5. Beasley should only continue to improve as a player in his third year, but it's also worth noting that he benefited from the Falcons' historic offense, which forced opponents to play catch up through the air, giving Beasley plenty of opportunities to sell out on the pass. The departure of an offensive coordinator rarely impacts a defensive star, but it's very likely that Atlanta's offense will take a step back this season, meaning Beasley may not have as many chances to rush in expected passing downs. That being said, he's still a beast, and double-digit sack numbers seem like a manageable target.

Double-check on Beasley's positional classification in your league - he has reportedly moved to linebacker but was still listed at DE on NFL.com as of press time – but if he maintains DL eligibility while playing more like a linebacker in real life, it could be a profitable loophole to exploit. Regardless, Beasley's main appeal is his pass-rushing potential, as he was a dominant disruptor in college and possesses an athletic profile similar to Von Miller's. His tally of 26 tackles and four sacks in 539 snaps wasn't bad for a rookie year, but much more can be expected in 2016.

The Falcons wouldn’t have spent the 8th overall pick in the draft on Beasley if they didn’t see him as a long term defensive starter, but his his role as a rookie is still up in the air. Beasley is listed as a defensive end, but he’ll likely end up in the “Leo” position as a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. One thing for sure is that Beasley will be asked to rush the quarterback, especially considering the Falcons ranked near the bottom of the league in terms of total sacks (22) recorded in 2014. Beasley has been compared to Von Miller and Bruce Irvin, both of whom recorded at least eight sacks in their rookie campaign. The Falcons would love if Beasley could come close to double-digit sacks and 30-60 tackles in his rookie season.