Disclaimer: The statements and opinions regarding players and/or potential future players in the article below are those of the AtlantaFalcons.com editorial staff and are not of the Atlanta Falcons' football personnel unless noted in a direct quote.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — It's officially draft month, and while the Falcons may be waiting a little longer than usual to make their first selection, the excitement is building nonetheless.

Atlanta was highly active during the first free agency period under general manager Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski, and the draft provides them another crucial opportunity to strengthen their roster. The Falcons currently have five picks to work with, but Cunningham has made it clear he'd like to have more swings at the plate if they can acquire more selections.

For this exercise, however, I will be sticking to the five picks Atlanta has at the start of April. More specifically, the rounds in which those picks fall. Keep in mind that I'm not a professional scout, and the round projections were made through a combination of publicly available scouting reports and limited film review.

MORE POSITIONS IN THIS SERIES: Linebackers

The Falcons' offensive line has been a strength in recent seasons thanks to investment through the draft and a high level of consistency among its starting group. With right tackle Kaleb McGary coming off an ACL injury and left tackle Jake Matthews turning 34 in February, it's entirely possible the Falcons look at add depth on the end of their offensive line in this year's draft. There are prospects with developmental upside who would benefit from sitting for a year, and Atlanta learned the importance of having depth at tackle last season after a pair of injuries late in training camp.

Here are some candidates who could make sense for Atlanta in each round they have a pick.

SECOND ROUND

Caleb Lomu — Utah

Lomu may go in the first round, but on the off chance he slips to Day 2 and is on the board when the Falcons pick, he is a tantalizing prospect for them to consider. He is 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds and glides effortlessly. Lomu is a smart player and technically proficient, often ending reps the moment he gets a good grip on a defender. There's work to do as a run blocker, but pairing him with a coach like Bill Callahan should help him reach the top end of his NFL projection.

Max Iheanachor — Arizona State

Iheanachor is one of the most athletic tackle prospects in this class and moves extremely well for a 6-foot-6, 321-pound offensive lineman. He is still relatively new to the sport of football, picking it up when he first enrolled in junior college. His first sports were basketball and soccer, which helps explains his impressive footwork and movement skills. Although he's still somewhat raw technically, Iheanachor has a lot of upside to develop into a quality offensive tackle in the NFL.

THIRD ROUND

Caleb Tiernan — Northwestern

Tiernan could be a candidate to move inside to guard at the next level due to his sub-optimal arm length, but everything else about him looks the part of a pro tackle. He's 6-foot-8 and weighs 323 pounds, and Tiernan complements that size with good overall strength and quickness. He played both tackle spots and was a team captain in college, and his pass protection is first-rate. Tiernan could immediately provide depth at multiple spots while developing to eventually take over a starting role somewhere.

FOURTH ROUND

Jude Bowry — Boston College

If he develops correctly, Bowry should be a dependable swing tackle in the NFL with starter upside. He was on Bruce Feldman's 2025 “Freaks List” because of his strength and athleticism, and he backed up that placement at the NFC Combine. He will have to improve in some technical areas, but Bowry's foundation is solid and worth betting on.

Dametrious Crownover — Texas A&M

Crownover is a bit of a gamble, considering his tape regressed in 2025 compared to 2024, but he's another player with all of the physical tools to succeed at the next level. The 6-foot-7, 319-pound tackle has the size, length and movement skills that coaches covet. He's inconsistent, though, and his fundamentals break down at times. If he can improve his technique and find more consistency in his play, Crownover could become a steal.

Markell Bell — Miami

Similar to Crownover, Bell has rare physical tools that will draw attention from NFL teams. He's absolutely massive, standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 346 pounds with an arm length that rates in the 98^th percentile, according to Mockdraftable. That size can work against him at times, as Bell has difficulty gaining leverage on his opponents. However, his size and length are tremendous assets in pass protection, and the developmental upside could be hard to pass up.

SIXTH ROUND

Keagen Trost — Missouri

When Trost gets a good grip on a pass rusher, he can stop him in his tracks in the blink of an eye. His strength jumps off the tape and will be an asset at the NFL level. He's logged a lot of playing time with 42 starts during seven collegiate seasons and has positional versatility, which will all work in his favor. However, his arm length and athleticism are fringe for an NFL tackle, and his 2025 tape was a noticeable jump from what he had done previously. It will be up to teams to decide whether last year was an outlier or a sign of true growth.

Nolan Rucci — Penn State

Another massive lineman prospect, Rucci is 6-foot-8 and weighs 314 pounds. There is still room to add mass to his enormous frame, which will likely improve his ability to handle power rushers at the next level. That is an area of concern for Rucci coming out of Penn State, as he didn't display the kind of anchor one would expect for a player his size. However, he can keep defenders at bay with his arm length and his hands are active when countering.

SEVENTH ROUND

Riley Mahlman — Wisconsin

The Falcons took Wisconsin left tackle Jack Nelson in the seventh round last year, and Mahlman could be an option in the final round this year. At 6-foot-8 and 308 pounds, Mahlman has the physical presence needed at the next level, and he moves well for a player that size. His athleticism allows him to get in front of defenders in the run game and mirror effectively in pass sets. Mahlman has shorter arms, however, and he tends to catch pass rushers rather than initiating contact and stifling the rush. He will need to develop at the next level, but the tools are there to work with.