NFL Mock Draft: Falcons Address OL, Take Northwestern's Peter Skoronski
With all but four NFL teams officially done for the year ahead of championship weekend, many fans have turned their eyes to the offseason, which means one thing: mock draft season.
For the Atlanta Falcons, who hold the No. 8 overall pick for the second consecutive campaign, the draft presents an opportunity to keep adding foundational players to a roster that already holds more players 26 years old or younger than anybody else in the league.
And what better way to build than from the trenches on back?
That's exactly what the Falcons opted to do in NFL Network's latest mock draft, selecting Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski.
"The Dirty Birds elect to fortify an offensive line that will need to protect a young passer growing into the position." - Bucky Brooks
Skoronski stands 6-4, 294 pounds and was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Wildcats. He's considered to be a technically refined player who's scheme versatile, fluid and a likely day-one starter.
The biggest question mark surrounding Skoronski is his arm length, as he's not expected to reach the 33-inch benchmark most teams require for their offensive tackles.
It's a similar situation to the one faced by former Northwestern and current Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater, drafted N0. 13 overall in 2021.
Some pundits believe Skoronski will be forced to move inside and play guard or potentially shift over to right tackle - neither of which is a bad thing for the Falcons.
Elijah Wilkinson, who started nine games for Atlanta at left guard amidst injury issues, is an unrestricted free agent, as is starting right tackle Kaleb McGary, who's projected to receive a contract worth over $17 million this offseason.
Drafting a steady, sound player with a high floor like Skoronski wouldn't be flashy but would instead give the Falcons another building block up front, a la All-Pro right guard Chris Lindstrom, and help fill - if not upgrade- one of the two vacancies on the offensive line.
For now, it's merely a projection ... but while most predict the Falcons to select a pass rusher or cornerback, adding a talented offensive lineman at No. 8 is far from unrealistic.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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