FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The 2026 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and the Atlanta Falcons will be making their first selections under general manager Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Each week throughout draft season, we'll comb through the national mock drafts to get a sense of who people believe the Falcons will take in April. Keep in mind that the Falcons don't have a selection until pick No. 48 in the second round, so there may not be as many mock drafts reflecting an Atlanta pick as usual.
RELATED: Mock Draft Tracker 1.0
Here are the latest mock draft predictions for the Falcons through Thursday, March 19:
MOCK DRAFTER: Josh Kendall — The Athletic
LAST MOCK PUBLISHED: March 19
PICK: DT Caleb Banks — Florida
KENDALL'S ANALYSIS: "Nobody loves big people with foot injuries, but Banks' potential at a premium position and a top-line need for Atlanta makes Brugler's No. 24 player too hard to pass up here. Banks fractured a bone in his foot during the combine, and he played only three games in his final season at Florida because of a foot injury, but he is expected to be ready for training camp. When the 6-6, 327-pounder arrives, he's bringing 35-inch arms and a 32-inch vertical jump with him."
MOCK DRAFTER: Eddie Brown — The San Diego Union-Tribune
LAST MOCK PUBLISHED: March 18
PICK: WR Zachariah Branch — Georgia
CHAPMAN'S ANALYSIS: "Branch is a twitchy, explosive, space-destroying playmaker who wins with speed, suddenness, and return-game electricity."
MOCK DRAFTER: Garrett Chapman — Sports Illustrated
LAST MOCK PUBLISHED: March 18
PICK: EDGE Zion Young — Missouri
CHAPMAN'S ANALYSIS: "The edge rusher from Missouri had 6.5 sacks and 46 pressures last season, and he is a high-motor player who could bring some intensity to Atlanta. He has average arm length (33"), but outstanding size (6-foot-6, 262 pounds) that could instantly factor into the Falcons' run-stopping needs while he develops his pass-rushing acumen. He may not be a direct need, but he is the best player on the board."
MOCK DRAFTER: Josh Edwards — CBS Sports
LAST MOCK PUBLISHED: March 17
PICK: WR Germie Bernard — Alabama
EDWARDS' ANALYSIS: N/A
MOCK DRAFTER: Mason Johnstone — The Draft Network
LAST MOCK PUBLISHED: March 15
PICK: WR Zachariah Branch — Georgia
JOHNSTONE'S ANALYSIS: "Zachariah Branch—a player I've got a first-round grade on—falls into Atlanta's lap here. Branch is the hardest guard in this entire class. He plays bigger than his size, has rare suddenness and accel/decel ability, and a big catch radius. He's a rare talent at the slot spot and should dominate from day one. Branch can be one of the most productive wideouts in this class."
