Atlanta Falcons Mock Draft Roundup 3.0

Campbell was initially recruited to play on the edge at Alabama, but he developed an all-around game that could make the Falcons quite happy if he's available here. This SEC star should prove himself to be an apt blitzer in the NFL and he will use his speed to track down ball-carriers before they hit the sideline.

Linebackers are treated like running backs in drafts, and it's led to plenty of teams getting very good players at a discount. The Falcons have to address their pass rush in the draft, but they could use help at LB too, and there will be other good pass-rushers available in the second. I don't know if there will be an LB like Jihaad Campbell available.

Walker heads right down the road from Athens to bring his infectious play to a defense badly needing some juice. Any defensive position makes sense for the Falcons here, and while Walker is a bit of a 'tweener between off-ball linebacker and pass rusher, the Falcons need both. Just get him into this front seven.

The Falcons re-signed cornerback Mike Hughes in free agency, which at least stabilizes the starting positions there with the combination of Hughes and A.J. Terrell. The same can't be said at safety, where returning starter Jessie Bates, DeMarcco Hellams and Benny Sapp III were the only players on the roster — and Hellams and Sapp didn't play in 2024 — before the team reportedly agreed to terms with veteran Jordan Fuller.

Bringing Fuller aboard doesn't change the idea of looking for a long-term partner next to Bates. Taking Emmanwori over Georgia's Malaki Starks, who has been considered the top safety in this class for a while, will be controversial, especially for Atlanta because of its Bulldog neighbors. But his NFL Scouting Combine testing results (4.38 40-yard dash, 43-inch vertical jump) and frame (6-3, 220 pounds) give him the kind of ceiling that might make it worth the risk. — Josh Kendall

While some inconsistencies popped up in Johnson's 2024 tape, it's hard to find big, rangy corners with his ball skills.

In three of the past five seasons (2021, 2022, 2024) the Falcons have finished either last or 31st in the NFL in sacks. Arguably this year's most intriguing combination of agility, explosiveness and instincts, Walker is a virtual Swiss Army knife whose ability to make big plays as a rusher or as a traditional linebacker should excite both head coach Raheem Morris and the local fan base.

Williams has the measureables and movement skills to eventually form into a quality edge rusher, which is precisely what the Falcons need.

The Falcons need some pass-rushing help. I like Stewart more than most, as the production wasn't there in college. The traits are there, though. When you watch him, you get the sense he's going to be excellent. He's an athletic specimen. Only 4.5 sacks in his college career, but you can draft him off potential. I think he's going to be one of the best pass rushers in the league in a couple of years, which is a take that could age poorly.

I changed this pick at the last minute. The idea of Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell in the middle of the defense intrigued me, but the Falcons' need for edge rushers is too big to ignore. So, I gave them Green, who led the nation in sacks last season (17). He can win with speed or power through various pass-rush moves. The Falcons ranked 31st in sacks a season ago (31) and finished in the bottom seven in pass rush win rate for the fourth straight campaign (34.1%).

The Michael Penix Jr. pick got a lot of scrutiny last April, and Atlanta could surprise again. But could the team really bypass its pass rush again? I say no, and I think Green would pair nicely with new signee Leonard Floyd to start the turnaround.

The Falcons have such an obvious need for edge-rushing talent even after signing Leonard Floyd. They're in luck because the FBS sack leader could fall down boards due to a logjam at the position.

Atlanta brought back Leonard Floyd as a welcomed addition to their pass rush room. Still, after moving on from Grady Jarrett, Raheem Morris better be sure his unit up front as the horses they need.

Yes, there's a lot of youth in this group on the edge and interior. But Stewart's tools, this late in the first round, are an easy sell.