The Falcons are going to be on the clock in a little over 12 hours, and unlike in years past, there’s no clear answer as to who will be Atlanta’s pick.
Last year, most draft pundits had Bijan Robinson being the 8th pick. This cycle isn’t as clear. For much of the offseason, the overwhelming expectation was that Dallas Turner would be an Atlanta Falcon.
The Alabama product is considered by many to be the top pass rusher of this class, and the Falcons have a desperate need for the position; it’s a perfect match, right? Well, Laiatu Latu may have something to say about that.
Over the last week or so, the odds of who the Falcons will take at the 8th pick have shifted dramatically. As of right now, it seems the Vegas believes it’s a toss-up between Turner and Latu, followed by an interior defender and receiver.
According to DraftKings, Turner and Latu are both at +165 to be the 8th overall pick, at the time of this writing at 7 am the morning of the draft. Byron Murphy and Rome Odunze followed the co-favorites at +650.
The Texas defender has seen a recent surge up draft boards and the odds. Murphy has been mentioned as a dark horse to be the first defender off the board because of how disruptive he is. I say it all the time — there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and there’s more than one way to pressure the quarterback.
Pressure can come from the edge or the interior, but coverage is an important factor in a successful pass rush as well. So, though a cornerback may not be seen as likely with the Falcons top pick, it would still improve the pass rush.
The Washington pass catcher would put this Falcons offense over the top. On paper, it would be one of the best units in the league, headlined by Kirk Cousins and four top 10 draft picks at skill positions with an offensive line that’s returning five starters.
At this point, your guess is as good as mine, but it does seem like the Falcons will be drafting a first-round pass rusher for the first time in Terry Fontenot’s tenure in Atlanta.
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Photographer: Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire
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