The Falcons have had a handful of notable drafts. Thomas Dimitroff sold the farm to move all the way up to land Julio Jones, but some of the craziest cycles in franchise history have been under Terry Fontenot.

Hell, dating back to his first draft as Atlanta’s general manager, he had a flair for the dramatic, making Kyle Pitts the highest drafted tight end in NFL history. That took guts, but not nearly as much as the 2024 and 2025 moves.

Last year, the Falcons came into the draft with an obvious need for a pass rusher, or any defender that could help one of the worst defenses in football, after they solidified their quarterback position in the form of a $180 million deal with Kirk Cousins.

Most believed the 8th overall pick would be Laiatu Latu, Dallas Turner, or Byron Murphy II. Nope. Terry Fontenot shocked the NFL world by drafting Michael Penix Jr.

It was a move that everyone in Flowery Branch knew would be ridiculed in real time. Right or wrong, they had the conviction and acted. Fontenot led them on a similarly dramatic path this year as well.

Jalon Walker fell into the Falcons laps at 15, but Fontenot wasn’t done. Atlanta’s GM worked out a deal with Rams GM Les Snead to move up 20 spots back into the first round, giving up an enormous haul of picks that includes next year’s first-round selection.

The blockbuster trade left many executives speechless, believing the Falcons overpaid, and if you go by the Jimmy Johnson valuation model, Terry Fontenot got fleeced. However, once again, Fontenot and the Falcons had conviction and acted, landing James Pearce Jr.

Kyle Pitts, Michael Penix Jr., and JPJ are three of the boldest draft decisions in franchise history, and all three came under the tutelage of Terry Fontenot. Even the Bijan Robinson pick with Jalen Carter on the board is notable. Kyle Pitts hasn’t worked out like Fontenot initially hope, but the other three will undoubtedly make or break his tenure in Atlanta.

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