Falcons 7-Round Mock Draft: Atlanta Adds New No. 1 WR, Trades For Franchise QB?
Mock draft season is over. For fans of the Atlanta Falcons, this day cannot come soon enough.
In the past two years, the Falcons of trade away two major phases of the franchise. Last offseason, Julio Jones said goodbye to the ATL and headed up to the Music City to join the Tennessee Titans. A year later, GM Terry Fontenot went back to the AFC South, this time trading franchise quarterback Matt Ryan.
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It's time for Atlanta method its rebuilding. Draft selections this year need to be part of the foundation that will help the team develop into a contender over time. How does this effect Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith's draft selection? Does the value of one positions outweigh another early?
All good questions that soon will be answered. For now, here's FalconReport.com's final mock draft of the 2022 offseason prior to the selection at No. 8.
Round 1, No. 8: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Unless the New York Jets add a receiver with the No. 4 selection, the Falcons should have their choice in finding their next No. 1 target. Although adding a pass rusher is a top priority, look at the receiver room. Calvin Ridley is suspended for the season, Russell Gage is now in Tampa, and there wasn't a consistent third option.
Even though he's less polished route-runner than others, Wilson has the most reliable hands in the class, having dropped just seven passes during his time at Ohio State. He's versatile enough to play both on the edge and in the slot while using his 4.3 speed to create separation downfield. Scouts believe there's a bit of Stefon Diggs to his game.
If Atlanta wants to give Marcus Mariota a chance of finding success, it has to add a receiver. Of all the top names in the class, Wilson's upside is the strongest, making him the easy selection at No. 8 .
TRADE: Round 1, No. 31: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
The Falcons trade picks No. 43, No. 82 and 2023 fifth-round selection to Bengals in exchange for pick No. 31
Smith knows what the limitations are with a player like Mariota. The veteran quarterback is a stable bridge option, but Atlanta needs to find its long-term successor to Ryan. In a trade with the Cincinnati, the Falcons add a Cincinnati quarterback of their own.
Ridder told reporters at the NFL combine in March that he models his game after Titans' quarterback Ryan Tannehill. He relies heavily on completion percentage and efficiency rather than deep balls and velocity. Ridder also is a proven winner, having tallied 44 victories in four seasons with as the Bearcats' starter.
It's an ideal situation for Ridder to land in Atlanta. Mariota will start the year under center while Ridder can learn the ins and outs of the position with Smith. If anyone knows how to get the best out of a Tannehill-type passer, it's the second-year head coach.
Round 2, No. 58: Travis Jones, DL, UConn
There's been rumblings around the organization and Atlanta could try to trade defensive tackle Grady Jarrett during draft weekend. In large part, it's due to the fact that he doesn't fit defensive coordinator Dean Pees' scheme.
Jones, the 6-4, 325 pound nose tackle, is that his best when bull rushing up the middle. The former husky also has top-tier skills when it comes to defending the run and has great hand usage working upfield against interior lineman. He becomes Pees' new interior rusher in the 3-4 scheme.
Round 3, No. 74: Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma
After recording just 18 sacks last season, Atlanta needs a new top pass rusher. Best used as a stand-up linebacker, Bonitto is violent when attacking the quarterback. His ability to dip-and-rip off the edge and win one-on-one battles against offensive tackles is uncanny.
Bonitto tallied 18 sacks and 32.5 tackles for losses in his career with the Sooners. He fits the style of defense and should be a Day 1 contributor.
Round 4, No. 114: Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida
Adding back Cordarrelle Patterson does little to help fix the Falcons' rushing attack. Mike Davis averaged 3.6 yards per play and rarely found sucess outside of short-yardage situations. Pierce is a violent runner that uses brute strength to force his way ahead for big gains up the middle.
Unlike running backs such as Iowa State's Breece Hall (718 college carries) or Texas A&M is Isaiah Spiller (541), Pierce still has plenty of tread (329 carries) left on the tires. He could be a situational running back to begin his career before taking over as the leading rusher by midseason.
Round 5, No. 151: Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State
No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Adding a punter this early might be a risk, but there were a few who were ever done what Araiza has in college. Averaging 51.1 yards per punt in his career, the "Punt Gawd" has a cannon of a leg and near flawless hang time. If he stays healthy, he could be the next Shane Lechler, spanning a near two decade career in the pros.
Round 6, No. 190: Velus Jones, WR, Tennessee
The Falcons found a well-rounded pass catcher in Wilson to begin the draft. Now, it's time to add it home run threat. Jones' 4.31 speed should allow them to win at the line of scrimmage as a vertical presence. He also has decent size at 6-1, 204 pounds to be a bit more physical on the outside than more burner-type receivers.
Round 6 No. 213: Juanyeh Thomas, S Georgia Tech
Another Georgia-based product stays in the state. Thomas is a relentless tackler near the line of scrimmage and has a motor that won't quit when defending the run. He also had immense success when playing in zone coverage and was a special teams standout for the Yellow Jackets.
