Vic Beasley, Jr.'s rookie season was filled with ups and downs, and given the 23-year-old's lofty expectations, he'd be the first to admit 2015 didn't go as planned.

Fair or not, the public is judging Beasley on how many times he can sack opposing QBs, and his total (four) wasn't viewed as enough. Not for a first-round pick, a former All-American, a premier ACC talent expected to become a long-term fixture in Atlanta.

Beasley's circumstances are unique in many respects, but we saw a comparable situation unfold around the turn of the century, back when the Falcons drafted Patrick Kerney: another exciting pass-rusher who struggled at the beginning of his pro career.

After earning just 2.5 sacks in 16 games during the 2000 season, Kerney—another All-American, ACC star and first-round selection—knew the jury was nearing its verdict, even though he had yet to celebrate his 25th birthday. The University of Virginia alum had loads of potential, but he (and everyone else) knew he needed to post stats sooner than later.

Indeed, there's a clear resemblence between Kerney and Beasley's narratives. And if the latter has his way, that will continue well into the future.

In 2001, Kerney made some important changes and tallied a whopping 12 sacks—helping propel Atlanta to its first playoff appearance since its run to Super Bowl XXXIII. He went on to enjoy a highly successful career, one that included two Pro Bowl nods, a pair of first team All-Pro nominations and the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year award.

Now, the question is, How can Beasley follow a similar path?

To help form an answer, Kerney studied Beasley's tape and joined AtlantaFalcons.com for an in-depth interview, which can be found below.

Andrew Hirsh: Thanks for taking the time to chat. First off, I'd like to get your general impression of Beasley's performance as a rookie.

Patrick Kerney: He's raw, like most young guys who are there to rush the passer. At the college level, you see the highlights, and clearly he has the skills to make plays against guys who weren't on his level athletically. There's an adjustment when you move up a level—whether it's high school to college or college to the pros—and he dealt with that. I saw him grow across the season in understanding things that helped him make more plays.

I think the general population will look at his four sacks and be disappointed, but if someone watches the film, you see a lot more potential and production than four sacks would indicate. His speed threatens guys, but like a lot of young guys who come in who run well, they become so dependant on it. They feel like they can just run around the tackle. And the fact of the matter is, unless you're totally guessing on the snap count, no one's fast enough to just run around a tackle. Dwight Freeney at his peak—he ran a 4.3 40—he wasn't fast enough to do this.

AH: I noticed that, too, and also think he got more creative as the season went on. If I had to guess, I'd say the work Dan Quinn puts in with his pass-rushers is a big reason why.

PK: When Dan Quinn and I were in Seattle, we always talked about having to do something to address the tackle's hands. He's going to punch you, and if all you do is try to run around him, he's going to push you by. Early in the season, you saw Vic just trying to run around guys, and it was fun to see his evolution, where, even if he wasn't swiping the hands or chopping the hands, he'd do a quick dip when he knew that punch was coming. He learned his speed alone wasn't enough. It was fun to see.