The Beast, Dane Brugler’s expansive guide to the NFL Draft, is here.
The Atlanta Falcons have the eighth pick in the NFL Draft when Round 1 begins April 25 in Detroit. The Falcons own eight total picks in the seven-round draft.
Falcons’ draft picks
| ROUND | PICK | OVERALL | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
8 |
8 |
|
|
2 |
11 |
43 |
|
|
3 |
10 |
74 |
|
|
3 |
15 |
79 |
From Jaguars |
|
4 |
9 |
109 |
|
|
5 |
11 |
143 |
|
|
6 |
11 |
187 |
|
|
6 |
21 |
197 |
From Browns |
Full draft order
Every pick in the seven-round NFL Draft.
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NFL Draft details
• Round 1: April 25, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 26, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 27, Noon ET
All rounds will be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
— The Beast is coming! Keep your eyes peeled for Dane Brugler’s annual guide to the NFL Draft, publishing Wednesday, April 10.
About the Falcons
• Head coach: Raheem Morris (first season with team)
• Last year’s record: 7-10
The Falcons took a big swing in free agency, adding veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins on a four-year deal worth up to $180 million and adding three speedy but unproven wide receivers — Darnell Mooney, Rondale Moore and Ray-Ray McCloud. Atlanta still has glaring defensive needs at edge rusher and cornerback and is expected to address one of those positions in the first round. The Falcons have the No. 8 pick, but that has plenty of trade value with quarterback-needy Minnesota (No. 11), Denver (No. 12) and Las Vegas (No. 13) as potential buyers. If Atlanta can find a couple of defensive starters in the draft, it should emerge as the solid favorite in the NFC South.
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Why the Falcons wanted Kirk Cousins and what the QB means for Raheem Morris’ team
Falcons’ key position needs
Edge rusher: The Falcons are moving to a 3-4 base, meaning they may not be interested in bringing back last year’s starters, Bud Dupree and Calais Campbell, both of whom remain free agents. Lorenzo Carter, Arnold Ebiketie, Zach Harrison and DeAngelo Malone are the current candidates on the roster, but a starting-caliber player in the draft would help.
Cornerback: The Falcons hoped a trade for former No. 3 pick Jeff Okudah would fix the position, but they let him leave as a free agent after a one-year tryout. Dee Alford and Clark Phillips III seem more suited for a nickelback role, so there’s an immediate spot for an outside cornerback.
Wide receiver: Yes, the Falcons added three wide receivers during March to team up with Drake London, but there’s room for more, and it will be especially interesting if one of this year’s three top prospects — Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze — is available at No. 8.
Falcons draft analysis
Falcons NFL mock draft reaction: Is the most obvious path the right one?
What should the Falcons do with their first 2 picks? ‘The Beast’ points the way
Atlanta Falcons 2024 NFL mock draft mailbag: Fans focused on position of need
Atlanta Falcons depth chart: How will they bolster defense in NFL Draft?
Atlanta Falcons depth chart: Where does the offense still need help?
Falcons NFL Draft big board: 10 players (plus 3 QBs) who could be first-round options
Falcons at the NFL combine: What we heard about Drake Maye, Justin Fields and more
Falcons NFL Draft Big Board: 30 players to watch for positions of need
Falcons mailbag: Where should Atlanta look to find its next quarterback?
The Athletic’s most recent mock drafts
April 19: NFL analytics mock draft
Austin Mock’s Projection Model has the Falcons trading down and selecting Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse in Round 1.
April 17: Dane Brugler’s 7-round mock draft
Brugler predicts the Falcons will take Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner at No. 8 as part of a defense-heavy first two days of the draft.
April 8: Nick Baumgardner’s mock draft
Baumgardner has the Falcons making a bold move up to No. 5 for Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
April 4: Bruce Feldman’s mock draft
Feldman shares coaching intel on each pick, including the Falcons taking Turner at No. 8.
March 25: Falcons mock draft 2.0
Josh Kendall trades down and selects Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell at No. 12.
March 25: NFL mock draft
Ben Standig has the Falcons taking Turner with the eighth pick.
March 21: Beat writer mock draft 2.0
Kendall trades down, picks up two additional picks and takes a cornerback at No. 12.
March 6: NFL GMs, execs mock draft’s top 10
In a split decision, the choice is Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse.
March 5: Dane Brugler’s post-combine mock draft
Before the Kirk Cousins deal, Brugler had the Falcons moving up to No. 3 for Jayden Daniels.
Feb. 22: Beat writer mock draft 1.0
Kendall trades up to No. 3 for a rookie QB, back when Cousins seemed likely to stay in Minnesota.
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The Kirk Cousins Index: The top 10 QBs whose contracts have outweighed their play
Falcons’ last five top picks
2023: RB Bijan Robinson, No. 8 — Robinson set the franchise’s rookie record for yards from scrimmage with 1,463 yards last season and scored a team-high eight touchdowns.
2022: WR Drake London, No. 8 — London caught 141 passes in his first two seasons, more than any player in team history, and has led the team in catches and receiving yards each of the last two seasons.
2021: TE Kyle Pitts, No. 4 — After a 1,026-yard rookie season, Pitts only has 1,023 combined in the last two seasons. He suffered a torn meniscus midway through the 2022 season and was slowed throughout 2023.
2020: CB A.J. Terrell, No. 16 — Terrell has started all 61 games he has played in in Atlanta. He will be playing on his fifth-year extension in 2024 unless he signs a second contract with the team this offseason.
2019: OL Chris Lindstrom, No. 14 — The two-time Pro Bowler signed a $105 million extension last year and is expected to remain a fixture in Atlanta.
GO DEEPER
2024 NFL Mock Draft: Could quarterbacks go 1-2-3-4 atop Round 1?
(Photo of Dallas Turner: Ryan Kang / Getty Images)
