Beat writer’s 'dream scenario' for the Falcons draft

With the NFL Draft right around the corner, Falcons fans are mulling over all of the possibilities. Most everyone’s dream scenario involves Atlanta completely revamping the defense, but how? Atlanta’s beat writer for The Athletic Josh Kendall outlined it, with a trade down leading to more draft capital.

“The Falcons trade down from No. 15 in the first round to No. 21, where Williams is slotted on Brugler’s overall list of prospects. The Georgia product has the kind of length coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich covet. ‘Arms the length of an anaconda,’ Brugler wrote.”

Mykel Williams with the 21st pick would be a dream scenario for the Falcons. The Georgia product has great size for the position at 6’5” and 260 pounds, and long arms at more than 34”. He is one of the youngest prospects in the class and will not turn 21 until the end of June. His 1.61 10-yard split ranks in the 90th percentile, displaying his explosiveness.

Mykel Williams isn’t the premier sack artist that many Falcons fans are dreaming of this year; however, he does have a high floor because of his ability impact the run game. The Falcons would have to be comfortable with their ability to develop the pass rushing facet of his game. Moving on to the club’s second-round pick…

“With the No. 46 pick, Atlanta takes the 48th-ranked prospect, Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson. Before ‘The Beast’ was released, I was worried that Jackson was destined to be a guard in the NFL, but Brugler wrote this: ‘His left tackle tape was better than what he showed at left guard, forcing NFL teams to reevaluate his best positional fit.’ If Jackson, who is Brugler’s No. 6 tackle, can play left tackle, he probably can play right tackle, which means he would compete with Kaleb McGary for a starting job as a rookie.”

The Falcons do need to start thinking about life without Kaleb McGary, who has certainly been overhated during his time in Atlanta. However, we can call a spade a spade and acknowledge that McGary isn’t the ideal long-term blindside for Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons would be wise to start grooming his replacement, and perhaps Jackson can do just that.

The dream scenario would be Jackson taking over for McGary as a rookie, enabling the Falcons to either cut the veteran or trade him. Either one would save the Falcons $14.5 million against the cap this year. Moving on to the third-round pick…

“With the third-round pick acquired by moving from No. 15 to No. 21, the Falcons take Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who is the 10th-ranked cornerback and 69th-ranked overall prospect in ‘The Beast.’ ‘Morrison is an athletic, technically-sound cover man who works hard to stay attached to routes and make plays on the ball,’ Brugler wrote. ‘As long as he stays healthy, he is a scheme-versatile NFL starter.'”

The Falcons could use another cornerback, and if Morrison can be a Week 1 starter, that would enable Mike Hughes to move to nickel or vice versa. It doesn’t matter the position either. If the Falcons can trade down, pick up a third-rounder, and then draft three starters, regardless of their position, that would be a dream scenario.

However, in four drafts, Terry Fontenot has struggled to find Day 1 starters outside of the first round, let alone three in the first three rounds of the draft. That has to change of the Falcons are going to break their current postseason drought of seven season.