Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns Make Big Trade in NFL.com's Latest Mock Draft

The Atlanta Falcons are heading into the NFL Draft with multiple needs while missing their third, fifth, and sixth-round picks. With a draft class that seems to be homogenous in caliber of prospect after the top-10, trading back has always been the Falcons’ best option. The Falcons will have multiple options at 15 than moving back five to 10 spots shouldn't hurt them badly.

Eric Edholm, the lead draft writer on NFL.com, has dropped his mock draft 2.0, and he pulls off a big a big trade for the Falcons at No. 15 with the Cleveland Browns, but one has to question if they got enough in return.

He has the Falcons trading No. 15 for No. 33, No. 67 (third round), and No. 104 (fourth round) with the Browns selecting quarterback Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado.

The irony of the Falcons and Browns making a trade that involves a quarterback not named Kirk Cousins should be lost on no one.

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While trading back is ideal for the Falcons, one has to wonder if this would be enough of a return to bypass the likes of edge rusher Mike Green (No. 17, Bengals), cornerback Jahdae Brown (No. 16, Cardinals), or linebacker Jihad Campbell (No. 19 Buccaneers) among others. All of whom are available when Edholm has the Falcons trading.

On Monday’s episode of the Falcons Podcast, someone asked hosts Scott Kennedy and Nick Kendell what it would take for the Falcons to move from No. 15 to No. 20 where the Denver Broncos currently sit.

Their answer was a second round pick or a third rounder and a Day 3 choice. Moving down from No. 15 to No. 33 for that same haul seems a little one sided, especially with a quarterback involved. Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot would and should want more in return.

Compiling extra draft picks is an underestimated skill in the arsenal of any NFL general manager. While the additional selections from the Cleveland Browns might prove pivotal later on down the line, they might not do enough to help Fontenot in the short term if they trade back too far.

Pick 33 from Cleveland ultimately yields Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen for the Falcons, a player with a big upside according to Edholm, but who will require some all-round polishing in the pro-game.

“The Falcons have added pieces inside for Jeff Ulbrich's defense, though there are few difference-makers on the D-line,” wrote Edholm on NFL.com. “Nolen isn't a refined player just yet, but he's a high-energy disruptor who can add to the pressure up front.”

The Falcons may be better off waiting to try and get him with their own second-round selection at No. 46. Just how impactful Nolen can be in year one remains to be seen, and the Falcons will need immediate contributors with their Day 1 and Day 2 selections on defense. Nolen would certainly get some looks due to the lack of depth on the defensive line, but he'd look a lot better as the Falcons' second selection rather than first.

In so many ways, it's less about the player himself, and more about the move to trade out of the first round. It’s not completely out of the question, but Fontenot and the Falcons would want more than a third and a fourth rounder as compensation as Edholm suggests.