If the Falcons find a solution at the quarterback position before the draft, Terry Fontenot will have some cornerstone talent to choose from at the No. 8 overall pick.
I recently highlighted a handful of those prospects, headlined by Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. Fortunately for the Falcons, the expected best players available will fill positions of need because Atlanta needs multiple receivers to join Drake London, while Dallas Turner and Jared Verse would fill a long-standing need at pass rusher.
Regardless, the Falcons will have plenty of options. If you ask NFL execs and GMs, they believe it’ll be one of the two edge defenders I mentioned. Mike Sando of The Athletic polled six executives and GMs, putting together a top 10 mock draft based on conversations during and after the combine. Here is how they voted on Atlanta’s pick:
Vote distribution: Jared Verse 2, Dallas Turner 2, Chop Robinson 1, JC Latham 1
Most respected draft pundits have Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze ranked higher than Verse, Turner, Robinson, and Latham. However, Sando believes in adding pass rush help, with one exec questioning the Falcons taking another skill player.
“Adding young pass rush help for a veteran defense wouldn’t be as exciting. It could be the best option,” Sando said. “You can’t take another offensive skill player, can you?” one of the execs told Sando.
Well, yes the Falcons can, and they should if Nabers or Odunze is the highest-rated player on their big board. These are the names on the roster behind Drake London — Austin Mack, Josh Ali, and Chris Blair. I think it’ll be okay if the Falcons draft another skill player.
If I had to guess right now, I would wager the pick being one of Verse or Turner, unless Odunze or Nabers is available.
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Photographer: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire
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