How Matt Ryan Is Helping Shape the Falcons’ Draft Board

Ian Cunningham is putting together the final touches of the Atlanta Falcons' draft plan, and Matt Ryan has played a central role in that process.

Inside Matt Ryan’s Role as the Atlanta Falcons Prepare for the NFL Draft | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons flipped their organization over in January. They fired both the head coach and the general manager, and created a brand-new position: president of football. 

To Arthur Blank, Matt Ryan was always the man for that job. Within a few weeks, he had his former quarterback in place, and the franchise icon went to work. By February, Ryan had hired Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham to take the reins and lead the organization forward. 

Since then, Ryan has been seen with the Falcons’ contingent at pro days, in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, and in Phoenix for the league meetings. But with the NFL Draft coming up on Thursday, there are questions about what role the former quarterback will play in the franchise's selection process. 

While Cunningham will make the final call Thursday night, Ryan’s quarterback perspective has quietly become part of Atlanta’s evaluation process.

“He’s been great,” Cunningham said about Ryan’s contributions to their process. “We were in my office a couple of days ago – or last week – watching some players together. That was probably one of the cooler things in my career, just to hear from a quarterback's perspective, and what he sees in certain players at different positions.” 

The Falcons have been reviewing cornerbacks this cycle, and Cunningham has used Ryan for unique insight. They reviewed the film, and Ryan’s experience and perspective have been valuable.  

“[I] wanted to see it from his lens as a quarterback, who would have been a guy that you would have struggled against, or you may not have liked to throw to,” Cunningham explained. “[We’re] just doing little things like that, utilizing his expertise and his experience and being able to pick his brain on players. It's been fun to have him as a support and helping us through this process.” 

Those interactions have been happening throughout the building at Flowery Branch over the last several months, and they will go a long way in determining how this week shakes out for this front office. Cunningham will now be operating his first draft as a general manager, and the group has had some “courageous” conversations about the players on the board. 

“We don’t spend a lot of time on the players that we all see the same way,” Stefanski said. “What you want to do is, ‘Okay, you were higher on this guy than I was. Tell me why, and show me why. Break the tape out.’ Those are the fun discussions that you have. And where we are as an organization, with Ian, myself, and the coaches, we all want to push each other and support each other. I think that's the way to support Ian through this process, is to give him a picture of the role of the player on our team.” 

Now, those discussions, debates, and film sessions are all complete. As the Falcons enter a new era led by Ryan, Cunningham, and Stefanski, the first draft selection will offer the clearest glimpse yet into how that collaboration truly functions.

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