The Atlanta Falcons hold the No. 8 overall pick in the draft for a third consecutive year, and while most expect the team to select a quarterback, there’s a good chance the top three QB prospects will be off the board by the time Atlanta is on the clock.
USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are likely to be selected in the top five. If this is the case, what would the Falcons do at pick No. 8?
ESPN’s Field Yates released a new mock draft which has the team upgrading its defense. Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner was Yates’ pick for Atlanta, citing the expiring contracts of defensive lineman Calais Campbell and linebacker Bud Dupree:
The Falcons’ pass rush improved in 2023 but still lacked a dominant pass-rusher, with Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree leading the team with only 6.5 sacks apiece; neither are signed for 2024. Atlanta managed just 42 sacks as a team in 2023, ranked 21st. Turner finished his college career with 10 sacks and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. New coach Raheem Morris worked wonders with an inexperienced Rams defense in 2023, but the personnel is in better shape in Atlanta right now, and Turner would provide a high-upside, versatile building block off the edge. — Field Yates, ESPN
The Falcons’ front seven is somewhat long in the tooth. If Campbell comes back, he will be 38 years old. Plus, defensive linemen David Onyemata and Grady Jarrett are both over 30.
The team does have a few promising pass-rushers in Zach Harrison and Arnold Ebiketie, but Turner is a far more polished prospect coming out of Alabama.
However, while Turner is an exciting talent, the quarterback position has to be priority No. 1 for this team in 2024. If the Falcons can’t land one of the top college signal-callers, look for them to trade for Bears QB Justin Fields or sign a free agent like Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson.
