Draft Expert Trevor Sikkema Pulls Off Interesting Falcons 7-Round Mock

NFL Draft experts were pooled together and they put together an Atlanta Falcons mock draft that satisfies major needs.

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch is one of the players who could fill an immediate need for the Atlanta Falcons | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is a week away, and the anticipation is at a fever pitch. As we approach the offseason’s pinnacle event, final mock drafts are being put together. The Atlanta Falcons will have just five picks, so they will need to maximize their selections. 

One of the more anticipated selections took place with NFL experts Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers earlier this week. The hosts of the NFLStockExchange podcast welcomed several guests, including Mina Kimes, Krett Kollmann, Matthew Berry, Jordan Reid, and EJ Snyder, to put together a full seven-round mock. 

The group of draft insiders went pick by pick, and the Falcons came away with several interesting players. Take a look at what they put together for Atlanta. 

2-48: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina 

South Carolina defensive back Brandon Cisse could be a lockdown corner for the Falcons | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Their decision to go with Brandon Cisse was interesting after one of the hosts described Ruke Orhorhoro playing nose as a “travesty to humanity.” But they identified a strong potential candidate for the Falcons’ secondary. 

“He’s one of those players who is going to be under 21 on draft night,” Kollmann said. “I think he can play in any scheme, and he’s a good enough athlete to play turn and run, but he’s quick-footed enough to play from depth. He’s a guy that you can put behind all of the years of stacking up pass rush investments in Atlanta … I think Cisse could be a really nice hit for them on the back end.” 

Cisse was just a two-year starter in college, with one at NC State and another coming with South Carolina. As they noted, he is an explosive athlete, but he still has some development left before he becomes a starting cornerback. He will be able to compete for the job, but he will also have elite upside on special teams should he not win that second cornerback role. 

To get Cisse, the group passed on players like defensive linemen Peter Woods and Lee Hunter; wide receivers Germie Bernard, Chris Brazzell II, and Zachariah Branch; and cornerback Avieon Terrell. 

3-79: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia

Georgia wideout Zachariah Branch would be an outstanding value pick in the third round | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In this mock, the Falcons saw some fortune flip their direction with Georgia’s Zachariah Branch dropping to them in the third round. The knocks from the group kept coming, with Jon Ledyard rhetorically asking if there was a “re-do” for the Falcons' offseason. They followed that up by looking at some defensive tackles, saying they “have got to save Ruke Orhorhoro,” but settled on the wide receiver route. 

Ledyard did identify Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton as a potential scheme fit for Jeff Ulbrich’s defense. The Sooners play a similar “attack-minded” defense, and he could perform well in that front. Sikkema highlighted wide receiver Deion Burks. 

But Branch has outstanding speed that will translate to the NFL. 

His involvement was largely limited to the screen game (25.4%) with the Bulldogs, and his average target depth was a mere 5.2 yards. That did allow him to show just how explosive he could be (78% of his yards came after the catch), and he went for 81 receptions (UGA record) for 811 yards and six touchdowns. 

4-122: Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M

Dametrious Crownover has a lot of upside, but still needs to develop in the NFL | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Falcons just saw right tackle Kaleb McGary retire, and that shifted the position up their draft board. While Atlanta signed Jawaan Taylor, he is only on a one-year deal, so Sikkema and Rogers wanted to address it right away. They settled on Dametrious Crownover from Texas A&M because of his upside and potential, but nearly went with Jude Bowry from Boston College for his higher floor. 

Crownover started as a tight end, but transitioned to the offensive line, starting 26 games at right tackle over the last two seasons. With the late transition in his career, he is still quite raw. He has the physical tools to translate, but he will require more development before he is ready to see NFL action. 

6-215: Deven Eastern, DL, Minnesota

Deven Eastern could be a strong depth piece for the Falcons | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

After looking to address the defensive line for the first three picks, but failing to do so, Sikkema and Rogers finally get the Falcons their guy. They settled on Deven Eastern, a player who could be a rotational piece for Jeff Ulbrich’s attack front. 

“He flashed a good amount [at Minnesota], and he’s a good attacking player – at least from what I saw in Mobile [at the Senior Bowl],” Sikkema said. 

Eastern was a three-year starter and a flexible piece for the Gopher defense. He is a big body who will be a solid depth player for the Falcons. 

7-231: Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois

Luke Altmyer could be a strong backup QB in the NFL | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Rogers really wanted the Falcons to take a quarterback with this pick, citing the injury history for the two guys competing for the starting job. Sikkema caved, and they settled on Luke Altmyer from Illinois. 

A tight end or linebacker would have likely made more sense for the Falcons here, but Altmyer is an interesting player for Atlanta. He comes from a pro-style scheme and won several games in college for a program not normally known for its success on the gridiron. Atmyer set program records for completion percentage (64.4%) and was second in career touchdown passes (57). He was always at his best late in games (seven game-winning drives). For a future backup quarterback, the Falcons could do a lot worse than Altmyer. 

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