2024 NFL Mock Draft: Falcons Pick College Football Playoff Standout

The Atlanta Falcons could end up with a top-10 pick if they lose to the New Orleans Saints in Week 18. A.J. Schulte gave them an excellent consolation prize for missing the playoffs.

The playoffs are still a possibility as Week 18 arrives, but with their fate not entirely in the Atlanta Falcons’ hands, it’s reasonable to look forward to this offseason.

The coming months will be pivotal for the future of the Falcons. That starts with the pending decision on head coach Arthur Smith but continues well into the spring when the 2024 NFL Draft allows them to add another star player.

In Pro Football Network’s latest mock draft, A.J. Schulte gave Atlanta another talented skill position player, in hopes that whoever is coaching or throwing to these targets treats them well.

Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze (1) reacts after a play against the Texas Longhorns during the second quarter of the 2024 Sugar Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Caesars Superdome / © Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

With the ninth overall pick, the Falcons took Washington receiver Rome Odunze.

“Atlanta’s quarterback room is still a question mark, but regardless of who is under center, the Falcons can’t roll into 2024 with Drake London and a band of misfits at wide receiver,” Schulte wrote.

Odunze was a finalist for the 2023 Biletnikoff Award after an incredibly productive season. In 14 games, he’s posted 1,553 yards and 13 scores, his second consecutive season passing the 1,100-yard mark. Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. may have taken home the hardware, but there’s a good argument no receiver has been better than Odunze this season.

That was epitomized on Monday when the Washington Huskies took on the Texas Longhorns in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Odunze was unguardable, hauling in six passes for 125 yards.

Like London, Odunze makes his mark as a contested-catch specialist. He plays incredibly well above the rim and is a master of flashing his hands at the perfect time. No receiver in this class has better body control, and he’s destined to be a top-15 pick.

Odunze isn’t just a jump-ball maestro, though. He’s a legitimate vertical threat with the ability to impact each level of the field and should test well, too. A quarterback-friendly option and a target to take away attention from the Falcons’ previous three first-round picks could be the synergy that unlocks the offense as a new passer gets ushered in.

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Fans may be hesitant to spend additional draft capital on offensive weaponry, but the NFL is a passing league. Until Atlanta can figure out how to thrive through the air, it very well could be locked into the mediocrity of the Smith era, regardless of who is calling the plays.