In the 2015 NFL draft, the Falcons were looking at top pass rushers. They were frequently linked to Dante Fowler, Jr., who still-current head coach Dan Quinn helped to recruit to play for Florida. Quinn was reportedly a “big fan” back in 2015.
Quinn never had a shot at drafting Fowler, who went third overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Falcons ended up with Vic Beasley. In retrospect, neither player was worth such lofty draft slots. Fowler never did much with Jacksonville, outside of an embarrassing arrest.
The Falcons exercised Beasley’s fifth-year option while the Jaguars traded Fowler to the Los Angeles Rams before the trade deadline.