NFL Draft countdown: Focus on Falcons' first-round pick at No. 8
The 2024 NFL Draft is only eight days away. The Falcons took RB Bijan Robinson eighth overall in 2023 and they’ll pick eighth again this year. These analysts all link Atlanta to the same edge-rusher.
Alabama’s Dallas Turner had 120 tackles, 22.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in three years with the team. He was a consensus first-team All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
He has all the tools needed to become an impactful player for an NFL team and according to these analysts, that team should be the Atlanta Falcons.
ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr.)
How bad was Atlanta’s defensive line last year? According to Kiper, it ranked last in the NFL with a pass rush win rate of 30.9 percent in 2023, something Kiper thinks must get fixed in the draft:
“General manager Terry Fontenot hasn't done much to address the issues. That must mean he knows he can get help in the draft, right? The Falcons have an extra third-round pick to work with, too.”
The Falcons haven’t drafted a first-round linebacker since Clemson’s Vic Beasley in 2015 or an edge-rusher since 2017 when they took UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley.
ESPN (Field Yates)
Yates also lauds the team’s commitment to the offense but sees Turner as a powerful weapon for the defense:
“It's time for some defense, and Turner is the ideal candidate to kick things off on that side of the ball in this draft. Atlanta spent a lot of money in free agency on offense but is desperate for edge help. Turner is a standout pass-rusher who had 10 sacks last season, showcasing burst and power.”
How much burst does the 6-foot-4, 243-pound edge-rusher have? Turner finished in the top three at his position in three drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. His 4.46 time in the 40-yard dash was tops among defensive tackles as was his 40.5-inch vertical leap. His broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches tied for second.
ESPN (Mike Tannenbaum)
The former Jets GM also sees Turner in Atlanta and getting off to a fast start:
“The Falcons can draft the best pass-rusher in this class after they had 42 sacks last season (tied for 21st). He had 22.5 sacks over three seasons at Alabama, and I like his movement skills. He can even play in space when necessary. Turner would be highly productive right out of the gate in Raheem Morris' scheme.”
Sacks have been a problem for the Falcons. The team’s 18 sacks in 2021 were last in the NFL and its 20 sacks in 2022 ranked 31st. With a quick first step and impressive closing speed, an athletic player like Turner is exactly what the Falcons need.
More must-reads: