Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Raheem Morris worked hard at the NFL owners’ meetings to say they aren’t going to be locked into anything in the first round of this month’s NFL Draft.
“It’s a strong draft. We’re going to be staring at some really good players at (No.) 8 or we could be up a little bit or down a little bit,” Fontenot said. “We’re completely wide open, and we know we just have to continue to improve this football team.”
There are reasons to be skeptical of that type of talk, such as the fact the Falcons really need an edge rusher and a cornerback. There are also reasons to believe Fontenot and Morris, such as the fact the Los Angeles Rams got Byron Young and Kobie Turner in the third round last year and those two players combined for 17 sacks under Morris last season.
Morris will keep that lesson in mind in the draft room, and the Falcons have evaluated pass rushers at all levels of the draft, the coach said last week.
“That provides you a lot of hope to be able to go out there and add to your football team in areas of need you might have,” Morris said.
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If the Falcons stick with the No. 8 pick, they probably will have their choice of defensive players in this year’s pool because the first seven picks are expected to be used on offensive players. Fontenot last week called both edge rusher and cornerback “premier” defensive positions but insisted that wasn’t any indication of Atlanta’s plans.
“We can all look back at the drafts where somebody reached on a pressure player and left some really good players on the board, right?” he said.
So who are the Falcons going to take in the first round? Here are 13 players who could be the answer, listed with their rankings from Dane Brugler’s most recent Big Board for The Athletic:
The most likely options
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Brugler’s ranking: No. 10 overall, No. 1 cornerback
Arnold played onlytwo seasons at Alabama and only one of those was great (five interceptions and 6 1/2 tackles for loss as a sophomore), but his 6-foot, 195-pound frame and athleticism make him a coveted prospect. Arnold is a willing run defender who had an SEC-high 17 passes defended last season.
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Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
Brugler’s ranking: No. 11 overall, No. 2 cornerback
A fast climber during the draft process, Mitchell was a three-star prospect coming out of high school and played all four of his college seasons at Toledo. He had five interceptions as a junior and was a second-team All-American as a senior.
Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
Brugler’s ranking: No 12 overall, No. 1 edge
Turner probably is the only pass rusher who is a candidate to be taken in the top 10, and he’ll be very attractive to Atlanta. At 6-4, 242 pounds, he’s an ideal fit at outside linebacker in the Falcons’ new 3-4 system. He led the SEC with 10 sacks last season and had 22 1/2 in a three-year college career.
There is only one FBS player with 4.5+ sacks and 20+ pressures so far in 2023 (via TruMedia). #Alabama Edge Dallas Turner pic.twitter.com/3Jghjs7RUl
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 26, 2023
So you’re saying there’s a chance
Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Brugler’s ranking: No. 6 overall, No. 1 offensive lineman
The Falcons probably aren’t going to use a first-round pick on a player who doesn’t figure to be a starter in the upcoming season. However, if Alt could be a double-digit year starter (the way Jake Matthews has been in Atlanta since being taken sixth in 2014), then it could be worth it. Also, there’s the injury factor. Matthews’ starting streak has made him seem invincible, but this will be his 11th season.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Brugler’s ranking: No. 2 overall, No. 1 wide receiver
The wide receiver class is stacked at the top, and it probably starts with Harrison, so it’s unlikely he’s available at No. 8. However, if four quarterbacks go early, the Chargers take an offensive lineman and teams ahead of Atlanta fall in love with two of the other top receivers in this draft, then maybe.
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Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Brugler’s ranking: No. 3 overall, No. 2 wide receiver
It’s more likely that Nabers will be available than Harrison will be, and the Falcons would be very tempted by his skill set. The 6-foot, 200-pounder had a 42-inch vertical jump and a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. He led major college football in catches of 20 or more yards last year with 34.
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Brugler’s ranking: No. 7 overall, No. 3 wide receiver
Odunze is the most likely of the wide receivers to be available at No. 8. The Falcons added three receivers in free agency, but if they believe Odunze is an elite player at the position then he might have more long-term value than any defensive player. The 6-3, 217-pounder would add size back to a Falcons wide receiver room that has added mostly speed this offseason.
Rome Odunze adjusting for the score pic.twitter.com/1V1ehq8VXB
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) March 12, 2024
If they trade down, then what?
Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
Brugler’s ranking: No. 22 overall, No. 3 edge
The 6-4, 261-pounder led the country in pass rush win percentage last year (24.6). However, he isn’t an elite athlete, and he’s a medical risk after previously retiring from football because of neck surgery. He’s productive though, totaling 23 1/2 sacks in his final two seasons.
Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
Brugler’s ranking: No. 15 overall, No. 1 defensive tackle
If the Falcons believe they need a better option in the middle of their new three-man defensive front, then the 6-1, 308-pound Murphy is the answer. He had 45 quarterback pressures from the interior last season.
Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
Brugler’s ranking: No. 21 overall, No. 2 edge
Verse was considered an option for the Falcons in last year’s first round before he decided to return to Florida State, where the 6-4, 260-pounder had nine sacks, matching his total from 2022. Verse helps himself with his run defense.
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What about the quarterbacks?
Jayden Daniels, LSU
Brugler’s ranking: No. 8 overall, No. 3 quarterback
Yes, the Falcons just committed $100 million to free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, but at some point somebody is going to double dip on big investments at quarterback, right? It’s probably not going to be the Falcons this year, though. Their hope would be that Cousins plays all four years of his contract (if not longer), which would eat up almost all of a rookie quarterback contract.
Here’s the argument for Atlanta taking a quarterback: If it thinks one of the available players is a generational quarterback, then it might be worth the risk. It would also be a guard against a Cousins injury and give the Falcons a valuable trade piece in the future. Daniels’ dual-threat ability means he could be that type of player. It also means he’ll probably be gone long before No. 8.
Drake Maye, North Carolina
Brugler’s ranking: No. 4 overall, No. 2 quarterback
Maye may be the fourth quarterback selected in this draft. The 6-4, 220-pounder has a big arm, but it’s not always as accurate as scouts would like, and his system at North Carolina leaves some questions about how much experience he has getting through his passing progressions.
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Brugler’s ranking: No. 24 overall, No. 4 quarterback
Maybe the most polarizing prospect at the top of the draft, McCarthy was barely considered a first-round prospect at the end of his national championship season, but there was talk at the owners’ meetings that he could be picked as high as No. 2. McCarthy’s quick processing and accuracy would be a fit in the Falcons’ new offensive system.
(Photo of Terrion Arnold: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
2024-04-02 21:11:59
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