Four questions on how the Atlanta Falcons will handle the 2020 NFL Draft

As the 2020 NFL Draft nears, many questions still surround the Atlanta Falcons and what's on the mind of general manager Thomas Dimitroff. With various rumors flying around given the lack of information across the board in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many view this as one of the least predictable drafts in recent memory. Here are four questions to ponder as the virtual draft inches closer.

What is the Falcons’ biggest need heading into the 2020 NFL Draft?

It’s a close race between starting cornerback and another pass rusher. With the addition of Dante Fowler Jr. hopefully shoring up some of the rush, a high quality cornerback could help Atlanta get their defense where it needs to be. In the first round, it may be a good strategy to either take the best player available among these two positions or to trade up to insure the acquisition of an elite talent. Aside from defense, most expect the club to address left guard at some point as well.

Should the Falcons trade up in the first round, stay put, or move back?

It obviously depends on the price of trading up for the No. 3 or No. 4 pick, which both appear to be on the block. If the demands are within reason, it may be well worth moving up to acquire either Chase Young, Isaiah Simmons or Jeffrey Okudah in the top-5. The Falcons are obviously in win-now mode and adding a potential star and/or instant impact player to the defense may be what it takes to fix the defense.

If the price is too high to move up into the top-5, Thomas Dimitroff and Co. could look to move up into the No. 10 or 11 range, where they could still potentially acquire Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw. If the Falcons aren’t able to negotiate a trade up the board, they will be reserved to the options of hoping someone they’re high on slips to No. 16 or trading back in an effort to add quality depth as opposed to putting multiple eggs into one basket with a move up.

Do the Falcons need another running back despite the addition of Todd Gurley II?

The Falcons current running back depth is Gurley II, Qadree Ollison, Brian Hill and Ito Smith. It would seem that working another running back might not be a priority. Devontae Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Ito Smith and Qadree Ollison however represent recent success for Dimitroff when drafting backs in the mid-to-late rounds, so he may be too tempted to pick up someone he likes at some point.

What impact with the 'virtual' draft have on the Falcons' ability to make trades?

Assuming cellular connections and WIFI networks decide to cooperate, for the most part it would seem teams will have time to negotiate. The NFL has also confirmed that they will have the ability to stop the draft in the event of technical difficulties. However, there will be some degree of weirdness within the remote interpersonal communication on the fly, inherently, and that might force teams to feel they need to either pre-arrange deals or keep things simple and make their selections when their time comes. Atlanta's front office will not be alone navigating these uncharted waters that will undoubtedly play into the unpredictability of this draft.

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