FALCONS FLIGHT: Atlanta selects Wisconsin’s Peter Konz

When the Falcons selected guard/center Peter Konz of Wisconsin with their first pick (the 55th overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft, it really shouldn’t have been a big surprise. The big surprise should have been that Konz was still available.

Konz (pronounced Kahnz) was considered the best center in the draft by just about anybody with a keyboard and/or a clipboard since early January. He was named a first or second team All-American by most media outlets after last season. He’s also been an All Big-10 Academic selection, so Konz obviously checks out above grade in the skills and the smarts departments.

Because he can play guard and center, Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff projects Konz as more of a guard for this upcoming season. The 6-foot-5, 314-pounder also possesses the compliment of versatility that the Flowery Branch folks covet very, very much.

Considering this off-season the Falcons have addressed the defense already with an impact player in Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel, acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles this week, it was fairly predictable they would select an interior lineman tonight.

Unless the Falcons were to somehow uncover a diamond in the rough with another pick, it’s unlikely they would have found a player two-thirds of the way through the second round that would be as strong a candidate as Konz to start at any position on the field –given their current roster– as a rookie.

Recent past draft history suggests that linemen similar to Konz can and do come in to camp as rookies and start some games at guard or center. Also, since 13-year veteran center Todd McClure was hurt and limited through much of 2011 and has announced his retirement after the upcoming year, it’s clear Atlanta expects Konz to do more than serve a glorified internship in 2012. He was picked to help the offensive line from day one through a playoff run.

Falcons fans should quickly see the value in the selection of Konz. Veteran tackle Tyson Clabo already does. Clabo took to the social media cloud shortly after Dimitroff’s selection to let the young greenhorn Konz know his place in the locker room. Apparently, Konz will be delivering Chic-fil-A chicken biscuits to Clabo’s locker every Friday this fall.