It’s good to have options. Right?
With the eighth pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons have a multitude of directions they could go. The question is which one will they choose?
Is it going to be a pass rusher? An offensive lineman? A cornerback? Or if the cards fall in their direction, could General Manager Terry Fontenot and Head Coach Arthur Smith add another quarterback?
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The Falcons have been extremely busy during free agency leading up to the draft. They signed former Washington Commanders and Collins Hill High standout quarterback Taylor Heinicke to be their backup quarterback behind Desmond Ritter. The Dirty Birds also inked former Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell, a multitude of defensive players from the New Orleans Saints, and traded for Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah, a former top-three selection just three years ago.
Atlanta has seven picks in this year’s draft, giving Fontenot and Smith several directions in which they could go.
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One player mentioned in connection to the Falcons leading up to the draft is former Georgia Linebacker Nolan Smith. The 22-year-old Savannah native was hurt in the Bulldogs game against Florida in late October of last year and missed the rest of the season.
Smith has recovered from his torn pectoral muscle and wowed scouts and coaches in early March’s NFL Scouting Combine when he clocked a 4.39 second time in the 40-yard dash. He would bring the speed and the smarts that most teams drool over and add to an already crowded linebacker room in Atlanta.
Former Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Carter is another name linked to the Dirty Birds. Carter is considered by many the most talented athlete eligible this year and met with the Falcons this week.
Questions about his off-the-field issues make projecting his landing spot difficult. In late March, Carter pleaded no contest to street racing and misdemeanor reckless driving charges. The charges were related to the January 2023 crash which claimed the life of former teammate Devin Willock and University of Georgia staffer Chandler LeCroy.
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Other players mentioned as first-round possibilities for the Falcons include former University of Texas running back Bijan Robinson, Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson, Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness, Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez and a handful of other athletes.
Of course, the Falcons could be tempted to trade the pick and stockpile some more selections later in the draft, the possibilities are nearly infinite.
This is season three of Fontenot and Smith’s rebuilding plan for Atlanta and coming off of back-to-back seven-win seasons, the outlook moving forward is pretty optimistic. Between the draft, multiple free agent signings and what is projected to be a very weak NFC South, the potential for taking that next step and qualifying for the playoffs this season isn’t out of the question.
One thing is for sure, the draft is always going to have some major surprises. And while there are hundreds of places to turn and read about “Mock” drafts, nobody really knows what will happen until it happens.
WATCH THE 2023 NFL DRAFT LIVE ON CHANNEL 2. COVERAGE BEGINS THURSDAY NIGHT, APRIL 27th, AND CONTINUES THROUGH SUNDAY.