No NFC team made a bigger NFL free agency splash than the Atlanta Falcons, who solved their most glaring and urgent need by signing Kirk Cousins. Now, as we approach the 2024 NFL Draft, the 2024 Falcons mock draft is wide open.
Before we can dive into the names, here’s everything you need to know about the Falcons needs and draft capital right now.
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Here are the Atlanta Falcons draft picks ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft
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Here are the Falcons team needs after free agency.
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After focusing on offense in free agency, now the Atlanta Falcons can take the best player available in the NFL Draft, which also happens to fill a position of need. Alabama’s Dallas Turner is the top edge rusher in the draft class and managed to record 22.5 sacks while competing in the SEC. A true athletic freak, if Turner can improve as a run defender, he could become a superstar in Atlanta.
The Falcons already have their shutdown cornerback with A.J. Terrell, but getting him a partner in crime could not only make life easier for the pass-rushing group, it would also take more pressure off the rest of the secondary. Kamari Lassiter is already a fan favorite for Atlanta fans who also double as Georgia football fans, and he already has plenty of experience in both man and zone coverage. Boasting a high IQ, Lassiter holds his own in coverage and as a run defender.
At this stage in the NFL Draft, the Falcons can’t expect any new addition to make an immediate impact. But the team could address several areas, including adding to the defensive line. T’Vondre Sweat is one of two elite Texas DTs in this draft class, but of the two, he’s the far larger option at 6-foot-4, 362 pounds. While he still needs to develop more pass-rush moves, Sweat is already a problem for opponents in the running game.
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Kaden Eliss has proven to be effective against the run and as a pass-rusher, but there’s room for growth in pass coverage. That’s where Jeremiah Trotter Jr. may be able to help the Falcons. The son of the former Eagles linebacker, Trotter has a good feel for the ball and benefits from his above-average awareness in coverage while being able to shoot the right gaps as a run defender too.
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Here is our full Falcons 7-round mock draft.