ESPN Highlights Wide Receiver Rising On Falcons Draft Board

The Atlanta Falcons are two weeks away from the crown jewel of the NFL’s offseason. The NFL Draft is the ultimate team-building event, and naturally, the rumors and speculation run rampant. General managers and player agents are all playing the same game of cat and mouse while simultaneously trying to judge fact from fiction from everyone else.

As we creep ever closer to this pivotal event in the NFL’s calendar, the rumor mill will only get louder. To get ready for this event, ESPN’s NFL Draft insider Jordan Reid whipped around the league to see if he could pick up the latest draft scoop from each franchise.

For the Falcons, this is what the draft expert learned:

“What we're hearing about the Falcons' draft: In speaking to league sources connected to Atlanta, one position that has been heavily linked to the Falcons is defensive tackle. They have done an extensive amount of work there, but another position that routinely popped into conversation was wide receiver. Even after adding Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus this offseason, the Falcons want a field stretcher at some point on Day 2. Bryce Lance (North Dakota State) was a name that kept coming up,” Reid wrote about the Falcons’ draft rumors.

Defensive line is the biggest need for the Falcons right now, and the front office has been doing its due diligence on the position this offseason. Drafting one on the second day of the draft would not be surprising for them at all.

Similarly, the wide receiver position has long been a priority for the Falcons this offseason. This is one notable role that has been frequently popping up on the pre-draft tracker.

“It’s a premium position, right?” General Manager Ian Cunningham said during his media session at the NFL Combine. “I feel like at this event, it’s my job to kind of look at every single position. But definitely going to make sure that we evaluate the receivers as well.”

After those comments, the Falcons released Darnell Mooney and KhaDarel Hodge before signing Olamide Zaccheaus and Jahan Dotson in free agency. Despite those additions, the expectation has long been that the Falcons are in the market to continue adding to the position.

Bryce Lance would be an outstanding addition to the roster, and one that Falcons OnSI has been in on for some time now. He was a two-year starter at North Dakota State, proving to be an instrumental piece of their national championship run in 2024 – he set a school record for touchdown receptions (17). His production declined with a new starter last season, but he still had the explosive element in his game, finishing with eight catches for 40 or more yards.

His vertical presence and contested catch ability have helped him rise on draft boards, but he still has some development to do at the NFL level. With the Falcons’ additions to their receiver room, he would be an ideal fit for their immediate and future needs at the position.

The Falcons need both of these positions, but they do not have overwhelming picks with which to do so. They hold just five selections, so trading down will be a priority for them later this month, and Cunningham acknowledged that last week.

How they ultimately attack the draft will be fascinating to watch unfold.

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