Will Falcons Trade Down From No. 8 In Draft?

The Atlanta Falcons currently have the eighth pick in the draft. Will they end up keeping it?

The Atlanta Falcons currently hold the eighth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and a lot of holes in their roster. They can only select one player at No. 8, so it is natural to think about potentially trading down to gain more picks.

Garrett Wilson

Drake London

Travon Walker

Would this be a wise choice for the Falcons considering the type of player they can get at No. 8?

The answer is simple. It depends on what Atlanta is looking to add in the first round.

The Falcons have been decimated at wide receiver. They will have a chance to land one of the best receivers in the class, including Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. If this is the plan, Atlanta needs to stay where they are.

Another option could be to trade down for a linebacker. Foye Oluokun is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars and this leaves a huge hole in the middle of the defense. This is not a deep draft at this position, so taking one in the first round would be smart. Travon Walker is likely to be off the board when the Falcons are on the clock. If this is the case, the Falcons could trade down if they want to select a linebacker or pass rusher.

The final scenario includes a quarterback. This seems like the least likely option after signing Marcus Mariota to a two-year deal. That does not mean Mariota is the long-term plan, but the team has other areas that need to improve. If they target a quarterback, it would make sense for the Falcons to wait for Day 2 — unless they have eyes on Malik Willis.

Marcus Mariota

Malik Willis (left) and Desmond Ridder (right)

Sauce Gardner

Trading back in the first round will give the Falcons some extra selections later in the draft. This could be intriguing, but when a team has as many needs as Atlanta, it might be beneficial to take the best player they can at No. 8. Again, it depends on what the front office is targeting.