FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Ian Cunningham made his first two draft picks as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night, and he should feel good about them. The selections of cornerback Avieon Terrell and wide receiver Zachariah Branch at picks 48 and 79, respectively, have largely been met with praise from both the national media and the fan base.
"We feel like we came out of this thing with two really good players," Cunningham said Friday. "Two players that were high on our board at positions that we say are premium positions."
MORE FROM THE DRAFT
The selections fit Cunningham's belief in taking the best player available, and add quality prospects to premium positions. With cornerback and wide receiver taken care of, there are a few other positions the Falcons could look to address if the right prospect is on the board on Day 3. Don't rule out the possibility that Atlanta adds another corner or receiver, either. Teams can never have enough.
Let's take a look at some prospects who could make sense for the Falcons on Day 3 with insight from Dane Brugler, courtesy of The Beast draft guide.
Potential targets in the fourth round
LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU
Entering the draft, many listed linebacker as a top need for the Falcons. Atlanta added veterans Christian Harris and Channing Tindall in free agency, but it remains to be seen exactly what role Ulbrich has in mind for them. In that sense, the Falcons could still look to add a true replacement for Kaden Elliss's position on Day 3. Elarms-Orr has the explosiveness and competitive toughness to become a good player if he continues to develop in some key areas.
From The Beast: "Elarms-Orr needs to continue maturing his eye discipline and development in coverage, but he is explosive in short areas and has the range to cover ground. Given his athleticism and football character, teams like his floor as a special-teamer with the talent to become more."
EDGE LT Overton, Alabama
It's never a bad idea to add an edge player in the draft, especially one who has the disruptive upside and positional versatility as Overton. He has an interesting combination of traits for a Day 3 edge player, but that's exactly what could make him a good NFL player.
From The Beast: "Overton isn't yet the sum of his parts and hasn't turned the flashes into consistency (and there is no guarantee he ever will), but the potential is enticing from a player who's still very young. His ability to fit different schemes and alignments only bolsters his draft projection."
OG Logan Taylor, Boston College
Taylor started at every position on the offensive line except center in college and could add depth at multiple spots while he develops. At 6-foot-6 and 314 pounds, Taylor has good size and length for the NFL. He is not an elite athlete, but he has the mentality to make it in the pros and is an old-school player who should get better under Bill Callahan.
From The Beast: "Taylor doesn't play with consistent leverage or power, but he is intelligent, tough and competitive as a short-area base blocker. Similar to Brandon Linder, he projects best as a blocker in a phone booth at guard and a potential emergency flex outside at tackle."
LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
Another rangy middle linebacker, Boettcher has already shown a knack for creating opportunities by trusting his instincts. Boettcher is a former baseball player who walked onto the Oregon football team before eventually becoming a team captain. He racked up 136 tackles last season for the Ducks and six pass defenses. Boettcher is still learning the game but looks to have a bright future.
From The Beast: "Boettcher is a classic 'see-ball, get-ball' defender, with the speed and play personality that will make him a natural fit in an NFL linebacker room. Although he will need the right situation to become a starter, he will be an immediate and impactful special teamer."
DT Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
There are shades of Grady Jarrett in Benny's game, which makes it easy to envision how he would fit in Atlanta's defensive line. The 6-foot-4, 298-pound defender isn't going to consistently eat up multiple blocks and hold ground, but in a one-gap penetrating front, he can get past blockers and make plays in the backfield. He had 12 tackles for a loss over the last three seasons for Michigan.
From The Beast: "Benny isn't yet the sum of his parts, but he has athletic twitch with the size and arm length to be disruptive at the pro level. He has the talent to see the field as a rookie while an NFL staff coaches the rest out of him."
Potential targets in the sixth and seventh rounds
DT Rene Konga, Louisville
Konga spent his first three seasons at Rutgers before transferring to Louisville in 2024. He had eight tackles for a loss and four sacks in his two seasons with the Cardinals and flashed tantalizing potential as a pass rusher. Konga put his athleticism on full display at his pro day, giving teams even more reason to believe he has tools worth developing.
From The Beast: "Konga put disruptive flashes on tape, with short-area quickness and violent hands to impact both phases. He is the type of ascending prospect worth bringing to your building."
S Bishop Fitzgerald, Southern California
These final rounds can be just as much about building out the special teams units as anything else. Fitzgerald should have an immediate role on special teams in the NFL while improving the depth of a team's safety room. He had 19 pass defenses and eight interceptions in his final two college seasons.
From The Beast: "Fitzgerald doesn't have ideal speed and needs to clean up his tackling, but he is an aggressive, instinctive player with the type of on-ball production you like to see. He projects as safety depth and can contribute on special teams."
OL J.C. Davis, Illinois
Davis started the final 49 games of his college career, including 25 games at left tackle for Illinois during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He only played left tackle in college, but he got work at guard at the Senior Bowl and could have a home there at the next level.
From The Beast: "Davis is a stocky, strong blocker with smooth movements and a basic understanding of how to create leverage using his length. With continued tweaks to his game, he could offer an NFL offense quality depth at either tackle or guard."
DT David Gusta, Kentucky
Atlanta has taken steps to shore up its run defense this offseason, but Gusta is a 6-foot-2, 308-pound nose tackle who would aid in those efforts even more. Gusta's size is impressive, but not as impressive as the way he carries that size. A former star wrestler in high school, Gusta plays with a degree of quickness and body control that many don't expect.
From The Beast: "Gusta wasn't productive in college, but he did flash disruption, and he plays with the physicality and foot quickness that make you believe he can be impactful as part of an NFL rotation. He projects as a depth piece at zero-/one-technique."
DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
Speaking of nose tackles ... Corleone is a dancing bear at 6 feet and 340 pounds, and he is quick off the ball with the burst to knife into gaps before linemen can get to him. He uses his height to his advantage and beats opponents with leverage and hand placement. But mostly, Corleone is really good at planting himself against the run and holding his ground.
From The Beast: "Corleone is a space-eater with outstanding point-of-attack strength, although he doesn't offer much as a pass rusher. He projects as a backup nose tackle in the NFL."
