When the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan with the third pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Mel Kiper and all the so-called “gurus” said it was a terrible pick, and that they couldn’t believe Falcons management decided to select him over Glenn Dorsey, the beastly DT from LSU.

As a Falcons fan, I went into the draft saying one thing: Just don’t take Chris Long or Darren McFadden. Chris Long, to me, will be a decent DE for a long time, but won’t ever be a superstar. Darren McFadden, to me, seemed like a guy who dominated in college simply because he was bigger and faster than everyone else, and would never really pan out in the NFL.

That left it to three picks I’d be comfortable with: Jake Long, Matt Ryan or Glenn Dorsey. Of the three, Dorsey was the one I was least enthused about, simply because he’s a defensive tackle, and I don’t know too many defensive tackles that are the reason their team is winning games (John Henderson, Vince Wilfork, Marcus Stroud, Tommie Harris, and Albert Haynesworth are as good as they get at that position, and I don’t think any of those teams couldn’t survive without them).

So when the Falcons selected Ryan, I was happy. To me, as a fan, I’d put up with a year the likes no other NFL fan had ever seen. I watched my team’s quarterback be sentenced to federal prison. I watched our coach, less than a year into the job, leave right after his Monday Night Football loss. I watched an owner look lost at times, and I watched long time players wanting more than anything else to just be sent to a different team (D-Hall, Alge Crumpler, etc.).

I don’t think Jake Long would have this team in position to win early. I don’t think Glenn Dorsey would. And after watching the Falcons dismantle the Lions — a dismantling that started on Matt Ryan’s first career attempt, which 62 yards later turned into his first career touchdown — I think Ryan is in position to help this team win now, as well as later.

He finished the game 9/13 for 161 yards and a touchdown, but most importantly he didn’t turn the ball over. He became only the eighth roookie quarterback ever to win his opener. He stayed calm in the pocket and at times reminded me of Tom Brady. I’m not saying he was hurling it here and there, connecting with receivers all over the field, but he had that calm confidence about him that told you, the Falcons fan, “I’m in control.”

Maybe Dorsey ends up a better pick in the end. But after the first real test of their careers, I’ll take Ryan over Dorsey any day. And over J. Long, C. Long, and McFadden as well.