The Atlanta Falcons have been one of the busiest teams during the offseason. They’ve added several new starters on defense during free agency including big-ticket players like safety Jessie Bates and defensive tackle David Onyemata.
The NFL Draft starts Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. EST, and in our final mock draft using the Pro Football Focus simulator, we got the dream scenario for the Falcons. We let PFF choose for every other team while we chose for the Falcons.
Draft picks can be debated, and defensive lineman Jalen Carter may not be the dream pick. But when the Falcons were on the clock at No. 8, all four quarterbacks had been taken.
The Falcons were left with a variety of choices at No. 8 including Carter, Cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon, and running back Bijan Robinson. (Full 1st Round at Bottom of Page)
The Falcons may like to see a quarterback on the board at No. 8 to enhance their leverage for trading back in the first round. But the Falcons would love to have their choice of those players at No. 8… that’s the dream scenario, not necessarily the pick itself.
That said, let’s go through our picks.
1st Round, No. 8 Overall – Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
If Bijan Robinson is the most polarizing pick to Atlanta Falcons fans, Jalen Carter may be a close second. Carter and Robinson are arguably the two best prospects in the draft, but one plays a devalued position (running back) and the other has had a poor pre-draft process.
Carter’s talent appears to be worth the risk. He’s a dominating force on the defensive line. The Falcons have helped fortify the interior with the addition of Onyemata, but he’ll be 31 in November, and Grady Jarrett turns 30… tomorrow.
Onyemata and Jarrett could be excellent mentors for Carter allowing him to reach his full potential with the Falcons.
2nd Round, No 44 Overall – Steve Avila, OL, TCU
The Falcons don’t have a lot of holes in the starting lineup after their free agency binge, but left guard is still a concern. Avila is a plug ‘n play starter at left guard, and he’s arguably the best center prospect in the draft as well.
3rd Round, No. 75 Overall – Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma
The Falcons spent top-10 picks on pass catchers the last two drafts, but they still need another. Olamide Zaccheaus, the Falcons’ second leading receiver last year departed for the Eagles in free agency.
At 5’11 and 185 pounds, Mims wouldn’t be the biggest Falcons’ receiver, but with 4.38 speed, he’d be the fastest.
4th Round, No. 110 Overall – Cory Trice, CB, Purdue
Keep dreaming. Trice isn’t going to be available in the fourth round, but he slid in the simulator so he was an easy selection. Atlanta has fortified the defensive secondary with cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Jeff Okudah, but they’re both on what amounts to one-year deals. Getting a long-term running mate for A.J. Terrell if Okudah doesn’t work out makes sense.
4th Round, No. 113 Overall – Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn
One of the reasons I’ve been so against Bijan Robinson at No. 8 is the supply and demand of good running backs throughout the draft. Bigsby is one of several talented running backs who could be available on Day 3. He may be a little too similar to Allgeier at 6’0 and 210 pounds with 4.5 speed, but would having two players like Allgeier be a bad thing?
7th Round, No. 224 Overall – Jon Gaines II, OL, UCLA
After a long break, the Falcons are back on the clock in the seventh round. Gaines has the athletic ability of a first round pick, but it didn’t translate to the field. At 6’4 and 305 pounds with a 5.01 forty, 7.31 L-Cone, 4.45 shuttle, and 32.5″ vertical, he’s worth a flier in the seventh.
7th Round, No. 225 Overall – Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia
The national media has been clamoring for the Atlanta Falcons to get a new quarterback… how about a local, back to back national champion? Bennett’s size and perceived lack of arm strength will see him slide in the draft, but someone will take a shot on him… why not Atlanta?
Note, PFF adds No. 245 overall so we took a developmental offensive lineman in Jake Witt from Northern Michigan. Witt is a former basketball player who put on a show at his pro day.
