LAS VEGAS — So many options, so little time.
The Atlanta Falcons are essentially on the clock all day Thursday as the NFL Draft kicks off with Round 1 from Las Vegas on Thursday night.
The team holds the No. 8 pick and there are arguably at five to ten different directions the Falcons could take with the choice because to be perfectly honest, they have needs at almost every position.
Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein is in Las Vegas covering this year’s draft. Watch Channel 2 Action News for LIVE reports all day long.
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General Manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith could easily try trading the pick for more picks later in the draft, trading the pick for a current player, trading up for a player they really want or stand pat and pick in the eighth slot.
There has been no consensus on the players the Falcons, or any of the other teams, will draft. The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the first pick and experts have said they could take Aiden Hutchinson from Michigan, Georgia’s Travon Walker, Evan Neal from Alabama or Ikem Ekwonu from North Carolina State.
The Jaguars choice will have a direct impact on what the teams in front of Atlanta will do and as draft night approaches, guesses on which players will be available for the Falcons are all over the board.
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Thursday night storylines for the Falcons:
Do they draft a quarterback? A pass rusher? Maybe a defensive tackle or a wide receiver? Could they pick a defensive back? The short answer to all of these questions is: Maybe?
The Falcons signed Marcus Mariota earlier this year to play quarterback after the team traded Matt Ryan to the Colts. Mariota signed a two-year deal and many believe he is just there to keep the seat warm while Fontenot builds the team.
Malik Willis, who grew up in Roswell and played his college football at Liberty, is considered the quarterback with the biggest upside in the draft but he is not considered a sure thing by scouts.
Could Atlanta end up with a former Georgia Bulldog?
It’s possible that Walker doesn’t get taken by Jacksonville and potentially could fall into the Falcons lap. He’s expected not to make it out of the top 10 picks. Nose tackle Jordan Davis should be available if the Birds decide they need a run stopper on the defensive line.
University of Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner might be available and Falcons do need help in the secondary. Gardner is considered the top cornerback in the draft by most experts this year. But the Falcons already spent $11 million in March signing former Pro Bowl cornerback Casey Hayward.
Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton might be available if the Falcons want to take him. Hamilton is the consensus best prospect this year at safety, a position Atlanta does have some need for. Fontenot did draft UCF safety Richie Grant in 2021 and while Grant did not play a lot in 2022, the team hasn’t given up on him yet.
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Finally, the Falcons biggest need could be at wide receiver. The 2022 draft is stocked with several players who could easily step in and become a starter.
If the season started today (before the draft), it’s likely Olmaide Zaccheaus and Frank Darby would be the starting wide receivers and while both are promising prospects, they would not exactly strike fear in opposing defense.
Among the wide receivers Fontenot might consider: Drake London who played at USC, Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave who played at Ohio State, Jameson Williams from Alabama or possibly George Pickens from UGA.
The Falcons have options this year in what many consider a very deep draft. The team has five picks in the first three rounds and nine choices overall through seven rounds.
All of the options we have listed here are on the table, and there is not a position on the field with the exception of maybe kicker where the Falcons don’t have a need.
Channel 2 Action News will have LIVE coverage of this years NFL Draft beginning Thursday night at 8 p.m. Coverage will continue Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
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