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 the Atlanta Falcons' football personnel unless noted in a direct quote.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Forget all of the mock drafts I have done before this one. Throw 'em out the window. This is the one I am locking in.
If you've been following along this #DraftSZN, you know I have completed a Top-50 and Top-100 mock draft as well as a Blind Mock Draft experiment with Dave Archer. Will McFadden also got in on the mock draft fun with his seven-round mock draft.
Now, it's my turn. And for the first time in all of the mock drafts I have done to this point, I am pursuing a trade to get another swing at the plate. I think Ian Cunningham would be proud.
SECOND ROUND, Pick No. 48
DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
As Ian Cunningham said in his pre-draft press conference with Kevin Stefanski this past Monday, defensive tackle is a position that he sees having a positional cliff, meaning there isn't as much depth there as years past. The Falcons need more impactful bodies across their defensive line. So, if you don't think the class is very deep, you have to take your swing early, and the earliest the Falcons could do so is in the second round. In this realm, you're looking at players like Georgia's Christen Miller, Florida's Caleb Banks and Hunter. I like Hunter here because of his upside as a run defender. He has room to grow in pass rush, but the Falcons need more fire power on run downs and clogging up the A-gap. That's Hunter.
TRADE
The Atlanta Falcons send the No. 79 overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the No. 88 and No. 124 overall picks.
THIRD ROUND, Pick No. 88 via JAX
LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Who's going to be the Falcons' starting Mike linebacker in 2026? Right now, the jury is out on that answer, which is why drafting someone like Hill — who was so impactful at the spot for the Longhorns — is so intriguing. Now, do I think Hill really falls to the third round at No. 88? Not particularly, but this is my mock draft and so he does, even though it is more likely that he is a late-second round pick. But I digress. He has all of the traits and overall athleticism you need in a player who could (potentially) start early for you. If he's there, grab him.
FOURTH ROUND, Pick No. 122
CB Tacario Davis, Washington
I'd argue you're not going to find a more intriguing-looking defensive back in all the bunch. No other defensive back in the class has Davis' wingspan, and he used that to his advantage in his sophomore season at Arizona when he led the Pac-12 in passes defended (16). A shortened final college season because of two separate injuries limited Davis' recent production, but when fully healthy, he's a player a quarterback can't help but take note of. In the case of Billy Bowman Jr. not being ready to go early in the season because of his ruptured Achilles from last year, the Falcons may see fit to move Mike Hughes inside, which would open up the competition for the outside corner spot opposite A.J. Terrell. I think Davis is someone who could push for the reps there.
FOURTH ROUND, Pick No. 124 via JAX
WR Deion Burks, Oklahoma
This is a deep receiver class, which means I felt pretty solid holding off until the fourth round to acquire one. Dane Brugler's The Beast noted Burks is "built like a track runner, with a compact frame and shredded muscles." He's quick off the line and deploys quick feet in his moves. He doesn't have a ton of recent special teams reps, but did average nearly 20 yards as a kickoff return man when he was deployed as such in 2022 while with Purdue. Overall, Burks is someone that could compliment the Falcons receiver room well.
SIXTH ROUND, Pick No. 215
OT Isaiah World, Oregon
Here me out on this pick. World is coming off an ACL injury that he suffered in Oregon's January playoff game against Indiana. So, he won't be really ready to go right off the bat, which I realize isn't ideal. However, the Falcons don't necessarily need him to be ready immediately. They have Jawaan Taylor for a year as well as Jake Matthews. As long as those two remain healthy, it could allow someone like World — who has the look of what you want at this level — time to heal and develop his skills. Evaluators say World is technically raw, but does have the ability to develop into a could-be starter down the line. That is, if he gets put in the right situation. And what better situation than working with one of the best offensive line coaches in the league in Bill Callahan as well as two long-time veterans at the position in Taylor and Matthews. This isn't a pick that pays off right away, but with patience and development, it could be one that produces fruit once cultivated.
SEVENTH ROUND
EDGE Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College
Though Hutchins' overall size isn't necessarily ideal coming off the edge at the league level (according to draft evaluators), I like his special teams upside. He's someone who was an asset to Boston College in all four phases of special teams for majority of his career. That's what you're really looking for in the seventh round. That, and athleticism. Hutchins split time between tight end and defensive end early in his college career before officially sticking at edge in his final seasons. His production in his junior and senior year wasn't eye-catching, but again, that's not necessarily what I am valuing here. I am looking for someone who can make an impact in depth and special teams. That, I believe, could be Hutchins.
