Before the Falcons Week 13 loss to the Buccaneers, they sat just inside the top 20 picks. Now, they sit just outside the top 10.
If the draft were tomorrow, Atlanta would be selecting 11th, which puts them in proximity to potentially trade up for a franchise quarterback. I’ve made no bones about my thoughts on the Falcons signal caller situation.
Unless Desmond Ridder experiences some dramatic unforeseen development over the last four weeks, the club needs to be searching for another quarterback. Whether that’s in the draft or through the pro personnel facet, Terry Fontenot needs to sink his teeth into this thing.
Matt Miller of ESPN doesn’t have them doing it in his mock, though. The draft expert has Atlanta finding A.J. Terrell’s long-term running mate in Alabama’s Terrion Arnold.
11. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
The Falcons miss out on the top quarterbacks here and instead look to bolster the defense with my CB1. Arnold, a 6-foot-2 redshirt sophomore, has five interceptions in 2023 while showing a physicality rarely seen from young cornerbacks in the run game. He’s long and aggressive, and he has the ball skills to be a star opposite A.J. Terrell.
The Falcons can’t go wrong drafting a prospect at a premium position like cornerback, especially a player like Terrion Arnold, who projects as a special talent at the next level.
Obviously, I’d prefer the Falcons to trade up for one of Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or Caleb Williams, but Miller doesn’t see that happening clearly. However, he does have the Bears taking the USC product with the first overall pick, thus making Justin Fields available, so the Falcons could target the Georgia native.
I’ll continue to harp on it until the offseason comes and goes; Atlanta needs a change at the quarterback position.
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