Falcons mock draft: Atlanta waits to take a QB

Deen Worley
·5 min read

The NFL draft is just two weeks away and the Atlanta Falcons currently have nine picks, starting at No. 4 overall. For my final mock draft, I throw away any idea of trading up or down and use all nine picks to fill in holes on the roster.

To get started, I stick to my guns and roll with the player that best allows the Falcons to win now.

Round 1 No. 4 | TE Kyle Pitts, Florida

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

The amount of media attention surrounding the Falcons' love for North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance is head-scratching to me. I, for one, am not buying into the smoke and feel the team is better off drafting a player in the top-5 that can provide an immediate impact. Considering the Falcons are open to trading back, this could signal they don't necessarily love either of the quarterbacks likely to be available, and choose to take the best player on the board.

Round 2 No. 35 | EDGE Carlos Basham Jr, Wake Forest

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At 6-foot-5, 284 pounds, Wake Forest's Carlos Basham Jr. is built for the NFL. Even with his size, Basham Jr. is quick off the line and has quick enough hands to swim past the offensive line. Although he is a monster on the edge, he relied too frequently on his size in college and will need to develop more pass-rushing moves to get past defenders in the NFL.

Round 3 No. 68 | Safety Richie Grant, Central Florida

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I'm sticking to my guns that Richie Grant will be available to take early in the third round. Although the Falcons signed Erik Harris and Duron Harmon, there is still an overwhelming hole on the back end of the defense that is too big to gloss over. Grant has great range to be relied upon in center field and is a natural ball hawk.

Round 4 No. 108 | QB Davis Mills, Stanford

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It's hard to imagine any fans getting excited over a quarterback not named Justin Fields or Trey Lance. The two have been mocked to the Falcons all offseason and have built up the anticipation that the team will draft a quarterback. Mills, a former North Gwinnett quarterback, didn't have a solid college career, mainly due to injuries. However, he did play well enough in the limited chances to decide to declare to the NFL. Mills has good vision and a "buttery-smooth" release that looks effortless. He may not have an elite-arm, but in Arthur Smith's offense, an elite-arm isn't a huge drawback. Recently, Mills has seen his draft stock skyrocket, with some projecting the Stanford quarterback to go in the first round. While I'm not buying that, I do believe he could be a viable mid-round option for Atlanta.

Round 5 No. 148 | CB Deommodore Lenoir, Oregon

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Lenoir is a great athlete on defense and has the ball skills similar to that of a wide receiver. He has shown plenty of times that he can high-point the football and bring it in. However, on the professional level, Lenoir will need to develop more fundamental skills as he was too reliant on his force in college. Too often, Lenoir would get behind the receiver and he doesn't have the recovery speed to catch back up. Lenoir won't see action right away, but could turn into a key rotational piece.

Round 5 No. 182 | IOL Tommy Kraemer, Notre Dame

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

The Falcons may have already applied the tender to offensive lineman Matt Gono, but the team will still need to add more depth inside as that position has been very problematic for a few years. Kraemer would provide more competition with Gono during camp and could push for the job during the season.

Round 5 No. 183 | HB Javian Hawkins, Louisville

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The Falcons added a bruising running back in Mike Davis this offseason. While Davis will likely be the starter, Hawkins offers another element to the offense. His speed and acceleration make him a true threat with the football and he could excel in a wide-zone offense. Additionally, Hawkins can hold his own in pass protection. In 231 pass-blocking situations, he has yet to allow a sack.

Round 6 No. 187 | EDGE Charles Snowden, Virginia

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Similar to Bahsam Jr., Snowden is also a monster on the defensive line at 6-foot-6. While he does use his size as leverage, he needs to build up more strength to get past blockers. Frequently in college, Snowden just tried running around them, but unless he learns to bull through blockers, he won't have a long career.

Round 6 No. 219 | Simi Fehoko, Stanford

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With the final pick, I have the Falcons adding more depth at the receiver position. Fehoko would pair well with fellow Stanford quarterback Davis Mills and they would already have an established relationship. Standing at 6-foot-4, this tall receiver/TE can climb over smaller corners and has strong hands to pull the ball in.

Mock draft recap

  • Round 1 | TE Kyle Pitts

  • Round 2 | EDGE Carlos Basham Jr

  • Round 3 | S Richie Grant

  • Round 4 | QB Davis Mills

  • Round 5 | CB Deommodore Lenoir

  • Round 5 | IOL Tommy Kraemer

  • Round 5 | HB Javian Hawkins

  • Round 6 | EDGE Charles Snowden

  • Round 6 | WR Simi Fehoko

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