The Falcons have nine total selections in this year’s draft, five of them coming in the first three rounds.
The Falcons have plenty of work to do this offseason with plenty of holes on the roster. After trading Matt Ryan, the team will need to look toward the future.
Draft for need or draft the best player available?
That question is one the Falcons will need to answer as they are going through the painful rebuilding phase yet again.
General Manager Terry Fontenot and Falcons brass have insisted that the team will not reach for a need in this draft.
“We always want to be a team that doesn’t reach for needs,” Fontenot said in his last press conference of the season.
“We go into the draft with needs, and you know, you want to fill those needs, but you always want to take the best player on the board and not reach for something. I think we think that’s how you make mistakes.”
Pick 1- (8) S Kyle Hamilton – Notre Dame:
With Thibodeaux, Sauce Gardner, Neal and Icky off the board, the Falcons will need to look for a true difference-maker who can affect the game in multiple facets.
For Atlanta, Kyle Hamilton checks all of the boxes. While his stock dipped a bit after his 4.59 time, which is a bit slower than other safeties in this class, he is still a gifted athlete.
The consensus 2021 All-American has exceptional versatility as he can play in multiple defensive schemes.
He doesn’t have trouble covering bigger receivers and tight ends with his length.
He is also an excellent tackler in open space, which is something the Falcons are lacking. A few months ago, many scouts and analysts debated whether the Jaguars should take him with the number one overall selection.
If the Falcons plan to be a legitimate contender anytime soon, drafting Hamilton will be a giant leap in that direction.
Pick 2- (43) OT Tyler Smith – Tulsa:
With Kenyon Green and Zion Johnson likely off the board by now, Smith is the next best lineman.
Smith is a mauler in the run game and incredibly explosive off the line of scrimmage. The Falcons need help everywhere, and the offensive line is no exception.
Jalen Mayfield posted one of the worst run-blocking grades in the league, while Chris Lindstrom took a tremendous leap this year.
Pairing Lindstrom with a 6-4, 324 lbs physical blocker in the run game will help Atlanta on the ground and keep its defense off the field for longer stints.
Smith’s upside is too good to pass on here in the early second round.
Pick 3- (58) WR- John Metchie III – Alabama:
Falcons fans who watched plenty of SEC Football the last few years will be familiar with this name.
The Crimson Tide product earned Second-team All-SEC honors after posting a 1,142-yard season on 96 receptions.
After Calvin Ridley’s suspension and Russell Gage signing with Tampa, Atlanta is thin at the receiver position.
Atlanta needs playmakers, and Metchie was precisely that for Alabama.
Metchie doesn’t have elite size and isn’t the most physical receiver in this draft, but he has a pro-caliber route tree that NFL teams are drooling over.
He has consistently shown improvement from year to year on tape and is fearless when attacking and beating press coverage.
Essentially, Metchie is available this low because of the ACL tear he suffered in last year’s SEC Championship game.
Since January, he has slid far down draft boards, but the Falcons will likely stop his slide here.
Metchie is a first-round talent that will be a steal for the Falcons if he comes back fully healthy.
Pick 4- (74) RB Isaiah Spiller – Texas A&M:
While Cordarrelle Patterson was the definition of electric last year for the Falcons, you can never have too many weapons in today’s NFL.
Spiller has excellent vision in the open field and is dynamic in the run game.
While he doesn’t possess elite speed, he rarely goes down on first contact. He has a big frame at 6-0, 217 lbs, but can still find space in small holes. Without an elite quarterback at the moment, the more weapons the Falcons have on offense, the better off they’ll be.
Pick 5- (82) DL Travis Jones – Connecticut
Travis Jones is a massive human being. For a run defense that primarily relies on Grady Jarrett, Jones would be an excellent lineman to sit next to Jarrett.
This year, Jones was immovable against double teams and was the lone bright spot on a UCONN team that went 1-11 last year.
Jones was named the best DT at the senior bowl and can develop well next to a two-time pro-bowler.
Pick 6- (114) WR Erik Ezukanma – Texas Tech:
The Falcons already drafted Metchie earlier in this draft, but the modern NFL is essentially an arms race on offense.
While this isn’t the sexy pick many fans want, the upside is there with Ezukanma. He has shown consistent production in over three years of play.
He can consistently finish contested catches and possesses good ball skills.
Pick 7- (151) EDGE Michael Clemons – Texas A&M:
Clemons plays with a high motor and is a pro-ready EDGE prospect.
While he can certainly improve in some areas, he has the potential to develop into a solid starter.
For a fifth-rounder, this is a good quality pick for Atlanta.
Pick 8- (190) QB Skylar Thompson – Kansas State:
With the Falcons already signing Marcus Mariota, Thompson is solely for depth.
Thompson has a solid 6-2, 217 lbs frame and has good throwing mechanics.
While Thompson will likely remain the backup bar an injury to Mariota, the Falcons will have their eyes set on next year’s top quarterbacks in Bryce Young and CJ Stroud.
Pick 9- (213) DB Kalon Barnes – Baylor:
Kalon Barnes posted the fastest 40-time for a DB at the combine. Barnes succeeds at baiting quarterbacks into bad throws due to his sensational closing speed.
The Texas high school track star might not be the best in coverage, but the Falcons can find a use for him as a backup or on special teams.
