2023 Off Season / Draft Thread

[SoCalDirtyBird]

Letting Wilkinson go to the Cardinals really makes me believe that we’re leaning either Skoronski in round 1 or Torrence in round 2. Id be thrilled with either

[DM316]

2023 5th rounder for Jeff Okudah. Seems low risk, high reward.

[DM316]

Messing around on PFN, I traded down twice with Cincy and SF and players were offered as well. Unrealistic 4 rounder.

44. Will McDonald IV / Edge / Iowa State

60. Antonio Johnson / S / A&M

75. Devon Achane / RB / A&M

99. Joe Tippman / C / Wisconsin

110. DeMarvion Overshown / LB / Texas

113. Xavier Hutchinson / WR / Iowa State

Jonah Williams (move to LG)

Dre Greenlaw

Brandon Aiyuk

Cincy 2023 4th rounder

 

[BowlesDawgDX]

Recently started listening to the Locked on Falcons podcast. Anyone else? Thoughts?

Think he made a good point this morning that we are building the team first then adding a QB (if not Ridder), a la KC and BUF, and not the other way around (contrary to what outsiders want us to do). As such, doesn’t believe we draft one early unless Young/Stroud falls (similar to discussion here). Just thought I’d add

[DM316]

8 minutes ago, BowlesDawgDX said:

Recently started listening to the Locked on Falcons podcast. Anyone else? Thoughts?

Think he made a good point this morning that we are building the team first then adding a QB (if not Ridder), a la KC and BUF, and not the other way around (contrary to what outsiders want us to do). As such, doesn’t believe we draft one early unless Young/Stroud falls (similar to discussion here). Just thought I’d add

Smith referred to the Buffalo teardown/rebuild early on except our cap was in worse shape. It's taking form.

[scar988]

3 hours ago, BowlesDawgDX said:

Recently started listening to the Locked on Falcons podcast. Anyone else? Thoughts?

Think he made a good point this morning that we are building the team first then adding a QB (if not Ridder), a la KC and BUF, and not the other way around (contrary to what outsiders want us to do). As such, doesn’t believe we draft one early unless Young/Stroud falls (similar to discussion here). Just thought I’d add

Aaron is my old podcast co-host. Love his view.

[swoosh]

I'm at a point where I really can't see the Falcons going wrong at 8. That's in large part because Fontenot and crew have knocked this free agency period out of the park. Depending on how the board falls, my preferred option is trading back to add an additional 2nd, and then possibly trading back into the backend of the 1st round. As far as the so called wildcard picks that I think fans may be initially upset about, I actually like quite a few guys. 

Someone brought up Branch earlier. Good call. Violent but can cover. Pretty much your prototypical NCB in Nielsen’s defense. He reminds me a little of Keanu Neal pre-injuries, but far better in coverage. Plug him in and our secondary looks nasty. Atlanta background too, for what that’s worth. Maybe less of a need with the addition of Okudah, but even so I think he fits. This is likely Hayward's last season. If Okudah rebounds, you have Terrell and Okudah on the outside with Branch at NCB next year. He also has SS versatility depending on how Grant looks (I still like him). 

I like Van Ness as well. Strongly disagree that he would be an “F” pick. He’s going to be a nice player and Nielsen would get the best of him. Can play outside and inside. Learning under Campbell is the perfect scenario for him too. He’d be a so called reach by most fans, but that’s only because of pre-draft perceived value. Throw that all out the window. If you like the player, you take him. Prefer a trade back obviously to get him, but wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't make it out of the top 10. He seems to be rising. 

Hell, I even like JSN. I think he's going to be a stud. Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave called him the best WR in that trio. Don't mind the fact that he missed a year, we've seen guys like Chase still ball out as a rookie. I think if he didn't miss this last season, he'd be a top 10 lock. Love him. 

Last one is Bijan. I’m usually in the no RB early camp, but he’s different. Pure weapon out of the backfield. He’s basically Patterson on steroids. Arthur Smith would know how to use him, so that’s why I like the fit here. If Ridder can’t look good with that trio of backs, London, and Pitts, you draft your QB next year.

Going to be real hard for me to be upset. The usual suspects (Gonzalez, Spoon, Wilson, Skor) are all guys I like. Gonzo and Spoon are less of a day one need now with Okudah, but there's still room for them and they could very well be BPA at 8. Skor is an immediate plug-and-play stud at LG. Him and Lindstrom on the same line would be unfair. Fit is perfect. 

Iffy on Johnston, but would need to watch more. Carter scares me, but I trust the org to make the right call there. They’re far more informed than me in that realm.

[DM316]

19 hours ago, swoosh said:

I'm at a point where I really can't see the Falcons going wrong at 8. That's in large part because Fontenot and crew have knocked this free agency period out of the park. Depending on how the board falls, my preferred option is trading back to add an additional 2nd, and then possibly trading back into the backend of the 1st round. As far as the so called wildcard picks that I think fans may be initially upset about, I actually like quite a few guys. 

Someone brought up Branch earlier. Good call. Violent but can cover. Pretty much your prototypical NCB in Nielsen’s defense. He reminds me a little of Keanu Neal pre-injuries, but far better in coverage. Plug him in and our secondary looks nasty. Atlanta background too, for what that’s worth. Maybe less of a need with the addition of Okudah, but even so I think he fits. This is likely Hayward's last season. If Okudah rebounds, you have Terrell and Okudah on the outside with Branch at NCB next year. He also has SS versatility depending on how Grant looks (I still like him). 

I like Van Ness as well. Strongly disagree that he would be an “F” pick. He’s going to be a nice player and Nielsen would get the best of him. Can play outside and inside. Learning under Campbell is the perfect scenario for him too. He’d be a so called reach by most fans, but that’s only because of pre-draft perceived value. Throw that all out the window. If you like the player, you take him. Prefer a trade back obviously to get him, but wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't make it out of the top 10. He seems to be rising. 

Hell, I even like JSN. I think he's going to be a stud. Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave called him the best WR in that trio. Don't mind the fact that he missed a year, we've seen guys like Chase still ball out as a rookie. I think if he didn't miss this last season, he'd be a top 10 lock. Love him. 

Last one is Bijan. I’m usually in the no RB early camp, but he’s different. Pure weapon out of the backfield. He’s basically Patterson on steroids. Arthur Smith would know how to use him, so that’s why I like the fit here. If Ridder can’t look good with that trio of backs, London, and Pitts, you draft your QB next year.

Going to be real hard for me to be upset. The usual suspects (Gonzalez, Spoon, Wilson, Skor) are all guys I like. Gonzo and Spoon are less of a day one need now with Okudah, but there's still room for them and they could very well be BPA at 8. Skor is an immediate plug-and-play stud at LG. Him and Lindstrom on the same line would be unfair. Fit is perfect. 

Iffy on Johnston, but would need to watch more. Carter scares me, but I trust the org to make the right call there. They’re far more informed than me in that realm.

They can and should go BPA with the current roster structure. I threw Branch out there. I could see it with the premium they've put on versatility on defense being that NCB/S hybrid, picking him at 8 is a little too rich for me but would be nice in a trade down scenario. Hell, even at 8 I might even be on board .... I see flashes of Fitzpatrick/Mathieu/CGJ, so if you can potentially get that I don't think it's as much of a reach. I have the top 7 as Young, Stroud, AR, Anderson, Wilson, Witherspoon, Johnson Jr. off of that here's my top 5 favorite targets.

1. Christian Gonzalez 

2. Peter Skoronski

3. Nolan Smith

4. Brian Branch

5. JSN

I think any of the latter 3 could be had trading back into the teens (probably no further than 12 for JSN).

 

[DM316]

If it happened to be Bijan, I wouldn't be mad. Not a Murphy fan, has all of the tools but too timid. Johnston scares me, bad hands and for being a supposed freak athlete he didn't get much separation and his test #'s validated it. Last but not least, if we draft Levis I'm tearing my house up .... a less accurate Darnold with Drew Lock's arm strength. If it's not any of those I'm good.

[BowlesDawgDX]

 

[DM316]

I did 4 more mock's on PFN, more on the realistic side. 3 trades and 1 straight up 4 rounds only. Thoughts?

TRADE 8 to DET for 18, 48, & '24 6th Rounder

18. Branch

44. Will McDonald IV

48. O'Cyrus Torrence

75. Joe Tippman

110. A.T. Perry

113. Kenny McIntosh

 

TRADE 8 to NE for 14 & 46

14. JSN

44. John Michael Schmitz

46. Tuli Tuipulotu

75. Brandon Joseph

110. Israel Abanikanda

113. Darius Rush

 

NO TRADE

8. Christian Gonzalez

44. Will McDonald IV

75. Steve Avila

110. AT Perry

113. Kenny McIntosh

 

TRADE 8 to NYJ for 13 & 43

13. Peter Skoronski

43. Jahmyr Gibbs

44. Will McDonald IV

75. Rashee Rice

110. Ricky Stromberg

113. Tre'vious Hodges-Tomlinson

 

[DM316]

Matt Miller from ESPN says he's heard from multiple sources the Falcons are looking at Day 2 receivers. If that's the case I see Jonathan Mingo as 100% Smith's type but I think we need to go the other way and get some speed. He also reported the Falcons would need a "dream scenario" to take a QB and suggested that would be if Stroud or Young dropped.

[scar988]

9 hours ago, DM316 said:

Matt Miller from ESPN says he's heard from multiple sources the Falcons are looking at Day 2 receivers. If that's the case I see Jonathan Mingo as 100% Smith's type but I think we need to go the other way and get some speed. He also reported the Falcons would need a "dream scenario" to take a QB and suggested that would be if Stroud or Young dropped.

Rashee Rice.

[scar988]

Updated Depth Chart and Roster pics:

[DM316]

13 hours ago, scar988 said:

Rashee Rice.

Him too. I’d rather a Tank Dell instead of another Monstar but that’s just personal preference. I do like Rice and Mingo though. Another one growing on me in the middle rounds is Xavier Smith from FAMU.