Are mock drafts great predictive tools? No. Do they give us a look at possible futures that are intriguing, and help us connect teams with prospects in a way that’s at least interesting, if not sometimes valuable? Sure.
That’s certainly the case for the latest three round mock from legendary hair-haver Mel Kiper Jr. and reporter and analyst Field Yates at ESPN, where the Atlanta Falcons unsurprisingly wind up using three of their four picks on high-upside defenders to prop up the side of the ball that needs more help heading into the 2024 season.
What’s intriguing about this mock? Let’s read on.
The first pick will surprise no one who is familiar with this team’s need and the bulk of the mock drafts produced since the beginning of the calendar year.
8.
Yates’ pick: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
It’s no surprise Atlanta will attack the edge position in the draft, and Turner is a sudden, bendy rusher who had a terrific finish to his college career by winning SEC defensive player of the year in 2023.
Turner is not my absolute favorite of the three top edge rushers in this draft class—that’s probably Jared Verse, the potent Florida State product—but any of the three sound tempting. Of the trio, Turner unquestionably has been linked to the Falcons the most, with the average mock awarding Atlanta the Alabama alum.
Why? Turner has an intriguing blend of top-shelf athleticism, potential, and fit with the Raheem Morris defense, with Turner having plenty of experience dropping into coverage and holding his own. That’s going to be important if the Falcons try—and they will try—to send rushers from unexpected places and need someone like Turner or Lorenzo Carter to be able to drop back and actually cover someone without disaster striking.
New Falcons coach Raheem Morris’ Rams defense had 355 snaps where at least one edge defender dropped into coverage last year, most in the league.
Most coverage snaps among top EDGEs:
Dallas Turner 238
Laiatu Latu 55
Jared Verse 27
Chop Robinson 15— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) April 12, 2024
It would not be difficult to imagine the Falcons actually landing Turner and putting him to immediate use, and it would be difficult not to be excited about the prospect of trotting out a high-end pass rusher with legitimate double digit sack potential.
How about the second round?
43.
Kiper’s pick: Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
The Falcons need to use one of their three Day 2 picks on a wideout, preferably one with the flexibility to play in the slot. Corley had 29 touchdown catches over the past three seasons.
The lone pick on offense in the first three rounds in this particular mock, Corley is a wildly popular player with teams, with about half the league reportedly checking in on him in some way. Corley was an extremely productive, physical option who has drawn favorable comparisons to Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, themselves physical players and underrated receivers who can also catch passes and bulldoze defenders close to the line of scrimmage.
Corley would be an interesting option for an Atlanta team that added speed to its corps but could always use more versatility and yards after the catch potential. In round three, the Falcons dip back into defense.
74.
Yates’ pick: Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
Atlanta figures to be in the corner market, and Hart’s combination of 6-foot-3 size and 4.5-second 40 speed makes him a starting perimeter corner option in the NFL.
Hart would check the “we need young defenders in the secondary” box, and would do so with imposing height, a willingness and ability to be physical and hold his own against larger receivers, and the kind of athleticism that’s almost a prerequisite for holding those receivers in check. He would not have to start right away, what with Antonio Harrison and Clark Phillips expected to be in the mix for a starting role opposite A.J. Terrell, but it’s not hard to imagine him getting to the point where he could start with a coaching staff long on experience coaching up defensive backs.
79.
Kiper’s pick: Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson
The 294-pound Orhorhoro has the positional flexibility to play anywhere along the defensive line. After Field gave the Falcons edge rusher Dallas Turner in Round 1, we can get them help along the interior on Day 2. They had the league’s worst pass rush in 2023.
This is a very intriguing selection for me, assuming the Falcons actually make two third round selections. Orhorhoro would give the team a young, still-not-playing-to-his-full-potential defender along their defensive front who could move around a bit and spell the team’s older starters in his first year. He’s a tough, dynamic interior defender with real upside as a pass rusher, and with Atlanta’s current mix of 30-plus starters and quality young backups, there’s an opportunity for Orhorhoro to step into a starting role down the line.
The Falcons would exit the first two days of the draft with a potential high-end EDGE, a receiver who would nicely complement the speed they’ve added this offseason, and a cornerback and defensive tackle who could play immediate roles and should have the kind of upside to start in 2025 and beyond. That may not be everyone’s ideal haul, but I’d personally be pretty happy if it played out that way.
Of course, your mileage may vary, so let’s hear your thoughts (and maybe your favorite recent mock drafts) in the comments.
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