Falcons Select Franchise QB, Star WR in NFL Mock Draft

The Atlanta Falcons give their offense a shot in the arm in The Athletic's latest two-round mock draft.

The 2024 NFL Draft may still be months away, but for mock draft aficionados, it's far from just a seasonal event. So when Dane Brugler of The Athletic, one of the top draft analysts in the game, releases a new two-round mock draft, best believe that people will take notice.

For the Atlanta Falcons, this mock draft should look very familiar. Atlanta has invested heavily in its offense over the past few years, using top-10 picks on tight end Kyle Pitts, receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson.

However, the one position the Falcons have largely neglected in that time is the most-important one, quarterback, and it has unfortunately shown. Brugler has them finally fixing that problem, projecting them to select LSU Tigers star Jayden Daniels at No. 8 overall.

Jayden Daniels / Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

"Arthur Smith is now the Falcons’ former head coach because he believed his scheme and (misuse of) weapons could elevate mediocre quarterback play," Brugler wrote. "It is interesting to think about what Atlanta’s talented, ready-to-go roster would look like if you dropped in Daniels.

"After producing a minus-12 turnover margin, you can bet that will be a point of emphasis for the Falcons. In 13 starts this season, Desmond Ridder had 12 interceptions and 12 fumbles; in 12 starts, Daniels accounted for only four interceptions and three fumbles."

Daniels was the best player in college football this season en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. He threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns with only four interceptions, and added another 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. A dynamic dual-threat quarterback, Daniels is widely-considered the third-best quarterback in the draft behind USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye.

Getting a franchise quarterback is great, but getting Daniels another weapon to throw to may prove necessary. After all, London had 905 receiving yards compared to the 745 yards the rest of the receiver corps had, so another wideout would be ideal. Brugler has the Falcons getting just that at the second round, projecting them to select Washington Huskies star Ja'Lynn Polk at No. 43 overall.

"Falcons receivers accounted for a grand total of four touchdown grabs in 2023 — two each by Drake London and Scotty Miller. London has the talent to be a legitimate No. 1 option, but adding more competition at the No. 2 spot should be a priority."

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Washington finished the season with the second-best passing offense in college football this season, and Polk played a huge part in that. The 6-2, 204-pound receiver caught 69 passes for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns this season, helping Washington make it to the national championship game. With Polk and fellow star Rome Odunze, widely-seen as a top-10 pick, the Huskies had arguably the best receiver duo in the country.

Some will undoubtedly take issue with Brugler's selections, as some spots on Atlanta's defense need improvement as well. One thing's for sure, though, adding Daniels and Polk will give the Falcons' offense a much-appreciated shot in the arm.