NFL Mock Draft: Falcons Fill 'Huge Hole' With No. 8 Pick

The Atlanta Falcons could use some pass rush help early in this year's NFL Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 27, 2023

In this story:

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons face a lot of uncertainty with the No. 8 pick in tonight's NFL Draft.

With a potential flurry of activity happening ahead of their pick, the Falcons could get lucky with multiple picks of good value landing in their lap at No. 8.

In ESPN's final mock draft, the Falcons take Texas Tech pass rusher Tyree Wilson, who could go as high as No. 2 to the Houston Texans.

"I think Atlanta would love to grab one of the top corners, but they're off the board in this scenario," ESPN writes. "The 6-foot-6 Wilson has a high ceiling as a pass-rusher, even if he was inconsistent at times in college. He would fill a huge hole here."

Arguably the biggest hole on the Falcons roster at the moment is the pass rush. Despite signing Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree in the offseason, Atlanta is in need of a potential Pro Bowl talent and some youth at the position. The team drafted Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone in last year's draft, but throwing Wilson into the mix gives the Falcons even more potential.

On top of that, Sports Illustrated reported earlier in the week that the Falcons "love" Wilson.

"I’ve heard new Falcons DC Ryan Neilsen loves Wilson, seeing a little Cameron Jordan in his game (and the Saints system does favor bigger edge players)," SI writes.

The 6-6, 271-pound Wilson has 35-inch arms and an 86-inch wingspan, certainly checking the box of being a "bigger" edge player. He has similar length but isn't quite as big as Jordan, who stands 6-4, 287 pounds, but there's plenty of growth potential.

At the NFL Combine, Wilson said that he'd "be excited" to play for the Falcons after having a positive formal interview with Atlanta's decision makers.

The Falcons will ultimate let the chips fall where they may, and if Wilson falls to Atlanta, the front office and many people in the building will be thrilled.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here.

Follow Falcon Report on Twitter.

Want even more Atlanta Falcons news? Check out the SI.com team page here

Published Apr 27, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.