Falcons Assembling Elite Defense in Latest Mock Draft

The latest mock draft has the Atlanta Falcons adding to their defensive offseason additions by selecting Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders.

The Atlanta Falcons are about two weeks away from the NFL Draft, and where they choose to invest their picks continues to perplex mock drafters.

In the latest two-round mock draft from Fan Nation's Draft website, they predicted that Atlanta would select Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez in the first round and Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders No. 44 overall.

“It’s evident that the Falcons need a fire extinguisher on the backend—their secondary has been lit up like a Fourth of July fireworks display the last few seasons. Adding the lengthy, speedy Gonzalez at cornerback will bring some much-needed stability. It would also be the fourth consecutive year the Ducks have had a player chosen in the top ten,” Fan Nation writes.

It will be interesting to see if the Falcons are still willing to target a cornerback in the first round after trading a fifth-round pick to acquire Detroit Lion corner and 2020 first-round draft pick Jeff Okudah.

Atlanta upgraded their defense this offseason by signing former second-team All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III. Adding Gonzalez could give them one of the strongest secondaries in the league, led by former first-team All-Pro A.J. Terrell.

Looking at Sanders, he’s a versatile chess piece. Measuring 6-5 and weighing 232 pounds, the off-ball linebacker wreaked havoc on offenses last season, recording 103 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, five pass breakups, and an interception.

The first-team All-American has a skill set capable of succeeding whether he converts to a full-time edge rusher or stays as a linebacker, thanks to his size and athleticism.

Suppose the Falcons ultimately decide to continue upgrading their defense in the draft as this recent mock draft suggested next season. In that case, they can continue to utilize their run game in a Smashmouth offense and win low-scoring contests.

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