Our final Atlanta Falcons mock draft is built on one thought — three picks in the first six rounds are not enough. That’s what the Falcons have — the No. 15 pick in the first round, the No. 46 pick in the second round and the No. 118 pick in the fourth.
Atlanta gave this year’s third-round pick to New England for Matthew Judon last offseason and lost this year’s fifth-round pick on a penalty levied by the league for free-agency tampering centered on quarterback Kirk Cousins. Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has indicated trading down in the first round to reacquire draft picks is an option, and it seems like the smartest one with the draft only three days away.
In this exercise, we actually traded down twice in the first round. The moves came with consequences, but I think the overall value ends up being worth it and I think Atlanta should follow a similar path.
Round 1, No. 22: Donovan Ezeiruaku, edge, Boston College
(Traded No. 15 pick to Bengals for Nos. 17 and 81; traded Nos. 17 and 118 to Chargers for Nos. 22 and 55)
Also available: Edge Nic Scourton, edge James Pearce Jr., safety Nick Emmanwori, offensive tackle Josh Simmons
I entered the draft process skeptical that the Falcons would trade down from the 15th pick despite their need for additional draft capital, but the more I study the way this draft should fall, the more likely I think it becomes. Edge rusher is Atlanta’s most pressing personnel need, and this class has enough of them who are expected to be available in the second half of the first round that the Falcons should be able to move back, add a mid-round pick and still end up with an early impact pass rusher.
In this exercise, I traded back twice. First, I sent the No. 15 pick to Cincinnati in exchange for Nos. 17 and 81. That would give Atlanta back the third-round pick it lost in the Judon deal. I made the move with Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams still on the board and hoping he’d still be available at No. 17. Instead, Williams got picked by the simulator at No. 16 (a good reminder that trading down comes with risk). So, with Williams off the board, I dealt the Nos. 17 and 118 picks to the Chargers for Nos. 22 and 55. That move cost me the chance to draft Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron but got me an additional second-round pick.
If Williams or Barron becomes a star, which is very possible, Falcons fans will never forgive me, but these are the risks Atlanta will have to take if it wants more than three picks in the first six rounds. And if Ezeiruaku becomes a star, I’ll look like a genius.
The 6-foot-2, 248-pounder has that potential. He was a consensus All-American for Boston College after recording 16 1/2 sacks last season, and he checks all the right athletic boxes — good bend around the edge, long arms (34 inches) and adequate explosion (35.5-inch vertical jump). Ezeiruaku is Dane Brugler’s sixth-ranked edge rusher and No. 22 prospect overall, which makes him a perfect value fit at this position.
He’s not a perfect prospect, though. There are concerns that although he does everything well, he doesn’t have an elite, difference-making trait, but the Falcons have had good luck betting on first-round picks out of Boston College (Matt Ryan and Chris Lindstrom).
“Ezeiruaku is a tad light for a stack-and-shed edge setter, but rushing the passer is his calling card, and he has the arc acceleration, body flexibility and long, active arms to break down the balance of blockers,” Brugler wrote in “The Beast.” “He has NFL starter-level talent, and his tape says he is more than a DPR (designated pass rusher).”
BC’s Donovan Ezeiruaku has ELITE pass rush ability🦅 pic.twitter.com/jQSoLorGPE
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 19, 2025
Round 2, No. 46: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
(Original pick)
Also available: Edge Princely Umanmielen, cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, safety Xavier Watts, cornerback Maxwell Hairston, cornerback Benjamin Morrison
Maybe this will look silly in hindsight, but I’m believing the behind-the-scenes talk that the Falcons are seriously considering taking an offensive tackle early. Fontenot and coach Raheem Morris have attended private workouts with at least three of the top tackles in this draft — Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. and Ohio State’s Josh Simmons and Donovan Jackson.
Conerly hasn’t been as high on their radar, but he would be a great value at this spot. The 6-5, 311-pounder is Brugler’s fourth-ranked offensive tackle and No. 23 prospect overall. Conerly played exclusively left tackle for the Ducks, and if he plays early in Atlanta, it would almost certainly be at right tackle because left tackle Jake Matthews just received a contract extension. If Conerly could come in and compete right away with Kaleb McGary at right tackle and then be ready to take over at some point for Matthews at left tackle, his selection would be a steal in the second round.
“Conerly must continue refining his hands and core strength, but he is on the right trajectory and enters the NFL with a promising foundation based on athletic movements and body control,” Brugler wrote in “The Beast.” “He has the talent to become a solid starter early in his NFL career.”
Round 2, No. 55: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
(Acquired via trade with Chargers)
Also available: Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, wide receiver Jaylin Noel, edge Bradyn Swinson, edge Oluwafemi Oladejo
This may be a case of the simulator being behind on the evaluation of Amos, who is gaining momentum among the cornerbacks late in the process. Amos is Brugler’s No. 39 prospect and fifth-ranked cornerback. The 6-1, 195-pounder won a state championship in Louisiana in the long jump (22 feet, 10 inches) and has run an 11.49 in the 100-meter dash.
He transferred to Ole Miss from Alabama for his final year and had a breakout season with three interceptions and 16 passes defended. An aggressive run defender who is comfortable playing man coverage, Amos would be a good fit in the Falcons’ zone-heavy scheme, Brugler believes.
“I liked him best in zone (Cover 2, Cover 3, quarters), where he can trust his athletic instincts from depth to read and rally,” Brugler wrote. “His super-senior season convinced evaluators that he is a pro starter, similar in ways to Paulson Adebo.”
Round 3, No. 81: Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
(Acquired via trade with Bengals)
Also available: Edge Ashton Gillotte, safety Billy Bowman, tight end Gunnar Helm, defensive tackle Deone Walker
Would taking a tight end in the top half of the draft be surprising for the Falcons? Maybe it shouldn’t be. Kyle Pitts, the No. 4 pick in the 2021 draft, will be playing on the final year of his rookie contract, and Morris and Fontenot have been clear that this is a critical season for Pitts. Their No. 2 tight end, Charlie Woerner, has 18 catches in five NFL seasons.
Atlanta will give Pitts a chance to prove himself early this season, but if he disappears for a couple of weeks as he has at times in his career, the Falcons need a pass-catching weapon at that position. The 6-5, 246-pound Taylor could be that player. He’s Brugler’s No. 3 tight end and No. 33 overall prospect, and he might have the best athletic pedigree in this draft (sorry, Shedeur Sanders). Taylor’s father, Jason, and uncle Zach Thomas are both NFL Hall of Famers. Taylor had 129 catches for 1,308 yards in three seasons for LSU.
“Taylor was Mr. Reliable in the LSU offense — and can be the same for an NFL team because of his good-sized athleticism, reliable ball skills and competitive blocking,” Brugler wrote.
Round 7, No. 218: Maxen Hook, S, Toledo
(Original pick)
Also available: Running back Phil Mafah, edge Barryn Sorrell, wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks
Falcons fans might be hoping the safety position gets addressed earlier in this draft, but the value of the Amos and Taylor picks at those positions was too good to ignore. Hook would be a nice consolation prize in the seventh round. The 6-foot, 201-pounder was a three-time, first-team All-MAC performer and had seven interceptions in his final three seasons at Toledo, where he was a teammate of Quinyon Mitchell.
None of Hook’s measurables are explosive (4.52 40-yard dash), but he has an accounting degree, is working toward an MBA and has no red flags on or off the field.
“Hook is a hard-nosed competitor with the pursuit skills and athletic talent (burst, speed, change of direction) to compete for a box or two-high role in a variety of schemes,” Brugler wrote.
Round 7, No. 242: Cam Horsley, DT, Boston College
(Original pick)
Also available: Defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse, center Willie Lampkin, running back Trevor Etienne, safety De’Rickey Wright
This pick came down to Horsley and Stackhouse, and right now, some of you are thinking I should have taken Stackhouse just because he went to Georgia. Here’s why I went with Horsley: He’s ranked two spots higher on Brugler’s defensive tackle rankings (No. 24 versus No. 26), he has long arms and he averaged more than 42 snaps a game his final three seasons.
“Horsley plays with size and power to reset the line of scrimmage when he stays leveraged, making it difficult for run blockers to do their job,” Brugler wrote. “He has the talent to be a rotational nose for a long time in the NFL.”
(Photo of Donovan Ezeiruaku: Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)
