NFL Mock: With Cordarelle Patterson Signed, Do Atlanta Falcons Draft RB?

The Atlanta Falcons could be looking for a middle-round running back in the draft.

Would "running back by committee'' work for the Atlanta Falcons?

Given the events of last year, the front office could still target a running back in the middle rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Mike Davis will be entering the final year of his deal. He finished second on the team with 503 rushing yards last season after entering as the premiere back. This is a role that was taken over by Cordarrelle Patterson, who led the team with 618 rushing yards. Patterson was a versatile piece of Atlanta’s offense and this earned him a new two-year deal this offseason.

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As terrific as Patterson was? This is a group that could use another piece and the draft will have some options to choose from.

The Falcons currently holds the eighth pick and we suggest maybe they should be targeting wide receivers. Ohio State has a duo coming out in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, either of whom could fit the offensive scheme of the Falcons.

So backfield help? Maybe this means the middle rounds is where a running back could fall into Atlanta’s lap.

Breece Hall might be the best prospect coming out at the position this year. Hall could go as high as the first round so he will be unavailable. If this is the case, Kenneth Walker III and Isaiah Spiller are next in line.

Walker III burst onto the scene this season, winning the Doak Walker award given to the nation’s top running back. He displayed elite breakaway speed and vision at the line of scrimmage. Walker III can change directions with the best of them and finished with the third-fastest 40-yard dash among running backs (4.38).

Spiller is unlike Walker III. He does not possess that breakaway speed but has quick feet and is difficult to bring down in the open field. Spiller is a better pass-catcher which could make him another versatile option in the Falcons offense.

Atlanta traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts and opted for Marcus Mariota in free agency. It would benefit the team to put as many options as possible around its new quarterback. This means a first-round receiver and middle-round running back could be coming to the Falcons soon enough.