FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The NFL announced the list of active players and team legends on Thursday who will make selections for each club during the second and third rounds of the 2026 draft. Tabbed to make a pick for Atlanta is former Falcons running back Michael Turner.
Turner joined the Falcons as a free agent during the 2008 offseason after spending the first four years of his career backing up LaDainian Tomlinson with the San Diego Chargers. In the workhorse role for the first time, Turner exploded onto the scene and quickly became one of the NFL's most reliable runners.
In 2008, Turner led all NFL players with 376 carries, gaining 1,699 rushing yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. That performance earned him first-team All-Pro recognition, his first Pro Bowl selection and a second-place finish in the NFL MVP voting. Turner also had back-to-back seasons with more than 1,300 rushing yards in 2010 and 2011, cementing his status as a focal point for some of Atlanta's best offenses this century.
There's a reason Turner was selected to the Falcons’ All-Decade Team.
Through his five seasons in Atlanta, Turner compiled 6,081 rushing yards — second-most by a Falcons player all-time — and 60 rushing touchdowns, the most by any player in team history.
The 2026 NFL Draft begins with Round 1 on Thursday, April 23, and continues on Friday, April 24, with Rounds 2-3. The event will conclude on Saturday, April 25, with Rounds 4-7. The Falcons are currently scheduled to make five selections in this year's draft.
