Four potential trade-up targets for the Atlanta Falcons in the 2020 NFL Draft

Which one is your favorite?

The NFL Draft is now hours away, and rumors haven't slowed when it comes to the Atlanta Falcons and what general manager Thomas Dimitroff may do. The rumors from ESPN's Chris Mortensen that the Falcons could be the most aggressive team in terms of trading up the first-round board have fueled much speculation. With all of that speculation, let's look at a handful of players Atlanta could have their eyes on in a 'trade up' scenario. 

Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

Many consider Young the best player in the draft, and rumors that the Washington Redskins could be shopping the No. 2 overall pick have opened the door for Atlanta to potentially bring the nation's most dangerous collegiate pass rusher into the fold for Dan Quinn & Co. Young is an explosive rusher who led the BIG10 in sacks despite serving a 2-game suspension for violating one of the NCAA's seven billion rules. 

The price for Young will be steep, but if the pick is available, it's for sure worth checking on the price at the very least. The drop off to the second-best rusher on the board is substantial, as there really isn't a true No. 2 edge player after Young. If the Falcons want a bookend rusher for Dante Fowler Jr., Young is absolutely the best case scenario.

Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State

PFF's 2020 NFL Draft guide cites Okudah as the closest thing they've seen to a sure thing at cornerback possibly in their history of draft coverage. He profiles as a lanky, lockdown corner who has to potential to take away his half of the field. The Falcons cut Desmond Trufant as part of their plan to acquire Dante Fowler Jr. and Todd Gurley II, so they are thin in terms of proven starting NFL cornerbacks. 

Isaiah Oliver and Kendall Sheffield are currently slotted to start on the outside and neither has enough experience to make one think the Falcons are comfortable moving into Matt Ryan's age 35 season with those kind of question marks at a key position. Moving up for Okudah would presumably plug one of those holes, with the Ohio St. star projected as a plug-and-play type of elite talent. If he panned out as a true 'shutdown' corner, a trade up the board would be well worth any reasonable price. 

Isaiah Simmons, S/LB/CB/EDGE, Clemson

Simmons can actually play all of those positions adequately. There is some debate on what his primary position would be, and if he goes to a creative enough scheme/coaching staff, he might not have a primary position at all. Safety seems like the most natural fit, as he could mask coverage and blitzes by moving up and down in the box, even moving down to the edge and threatening to rush. He's a Swiss army knife for any defense, and many feel he will be elite at whatever position he winds up at. 

An elite player at multiple positions is a rare quality, and one that shore up holes across a defense. Acquiring Simmons should be a little cheaper than acquiring Young, and while he's not the dominant rusher that Young is, he's a more versatile, dynamic talent that can be utilized in several ways. 

Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

The Falcons are a bit thin in the trenches behind All-Pro Grady Jarrett on the depth chart, and the addition of another powerful inside presence could be pivotal in terms of turning around the Atlanta defense. Brown was arguably the most dominant inside presence in the SEC over the past two seasons, making one of the most disruptive interior forces in all of the college football. 

Brown averaged double-digit tackles for loss across the last three seasons of his career with Auburn, totaling 159 total tackles across that span. He also forced five fumbles during the same period. The 2019 consensus All-American also took home the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award in his senior season. 

The NFL Draft begins this evening and all of the speculation will soon come to an end. Stay tuned.