NFL Mock Draft: Falcons Fill Hole At Receiver, Trade Up For QB?

Todd McShay recently released his two-round mock draft and it had Atlanta making three selections and a trade.

This might be one of the most-important drafts for the Atlanta Falcons in recent memory. 

A busy offseason with plenty of turnover left Atlanta with holes all over the roster. In a recent two-round mock draft released by Todd McShay, the Falcons are addressing needs right away.

Drake London

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Howell

Marcus Mariota

It begins with the wide receivers. Atlanta saw Russell Gage sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after it was announced that Calvin Ridley would be suspended for the 2022-2023 season. 

The Falcons currently hold the eighth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and should be in line to land one of the big three receivers. McShay believes that the Falcons will bypass the duo from Ohio State and opt for USC's Drake London.

"The Falcons didn’t do a whole lot to clean up a lackluster receiver room in free agency. They are currently relying on Olamide Zaccheaus and Damiere Byrd as their top two targets for new quarterback Marcus Mariota. We’ve only seen teams use top-10 picks on pass-catchers in back-to-back drafts three times since 1967 (Atlanta took tight end Kyle Pitts at No. 4 last April), but London is a perfect pick here. He is a former basketball player who can box out defensive backs and make tough, contested catches. London is returning from a right ankle fracture but should be ready to go for training camp.”

London is recovering from a fractured right ankle but should be ready to go for camp. This means he will still be one of the first receivers taken and the Falcons might be the landing spot.

At 6-5, London has incredible size that will translate well to the next level. Of course, the Falcons know a thing or two about having big receivers that can dominate in the red zone. He is a big, physical receiver that knows how to use his size and strength over defensive backs.

In round two, McShay projected the Falcons to take Georgia safety Lewis Cine.

“Cine’s instincts and ability to read receivers’ routes from a single-high alignment stand out on tape. Atlanta allowed 6.7 yards per dropback last season (26th), and it lost Duron Harmon in free agency, opening up a spot in the secondary.”

The Falcons brought back Erik Harris this offseason but lost Duron Harmon to the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Finally, a question could be answered in the second round. Will the Falcons make a trade throughout the draft?

McShay projected a trade with the Chicago Bears. The Falcons would send Chicago the 82nd pick in the third round to move up 10 spots from No. 58 to No. 48. This is where the Falcons could take a chance on Sam Howell.

“Marcus Mariota isn’t a long-term answer — he might not even be the short-term one — and Howell is the last of five quarterbacks in this class with any real shot of developing into an NFL starter," McShay wrote.

Howell possesses the tools needed that indicate he could into an NFL starter. He is an accurate deep-ball passer and has a quick release in the short game. Also, Howell showed off his legs for North Carolina this season.

Malik Willis

Desmond Ridder

Kenny Pickett

On the other hand, he remains a bit inconsistent and needs to work on his footwork and overall mechanics. This move does not mean that the Falcons found their next franchise quarterback but it gives them an option behind Marcus Mariota.

Atlanta signed Mariota to a two-year deal after sending Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts. This is a bridge move for the Falcons until they are able to find their next long-term answer. Howell would provide a solid backup option for the upcoming season.

McShay has the Falcons filling holes at receiver and safety while taking a chance on a young quarterback in the second round.