There’s been a lot of smoke involving the Falcons making a move on draft day. I’m in the camp that believes Atlanta should trade down, but this tweet says it all.
Regardless if you like it or not, Atlanta potentially trading up and going all in should come as a surprise to nobody when almost everyone in the organization’s job is on the line.
— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) April 21, 2020
This front office is playing with house money because they may not be making the picks next season, which means mortgaging the future is on the table. Let’s get weird.
TRADE 1: Falcons trade Pick 16 (R1), Pick 47 (R2), & Two 2021 Day 2 Draft Assets to the Lions for Pick 6 (R1).
Thankfully for Atlanta in this situation, Los Angeles has jumped the Dolphins and will select Tua with the 3rd pick. This takes Detroit’s asking price down some, but with Okudah on the board, it’s still going to take quite a bit of draft capital to move up ten spots.
R1, Pick 6: CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
So this is how I have the first 5 choices shaping up.
1. Burrow (Bengals)
2. Young (Redskins)
3. Tua (Chargers)
4. Simmons (Giants)
5. Herbert (Miami)
Pick 6 is the sweet spot for the Falcons. It sucks that Isaiah Simmons is gone, but New York has one of the worst pass defenses in all of the NFL. Okudah is 100% in play for them. Regardless of which one they select, Atlanta is landing an impact player and an immediate boost to their secondary. Okudah has been compared to Marshon Lattimore but is actually considered a superior prospect coming out of college. He has everything you want out of a modern NFL DB — long, lightning-quick, 2nd to none ball skills, and possesses instincts that can’t be coached. Okudah immediately becomes CB1 on a Falcons defense that will face 2 HOF QBs (twice), Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers this season. There’s a slim chance both Okudah and Simmons are there at six, but Clelin Ferrell went 4th in the draft last year — anything can happen, especially when Dave Gettleman is calling the shots.
TRADE 2: Falcons trade Pick 16 (R1), Pick 78 (R3), and Pick 143 (R4) to the Browns in exchange for Pick 10 (R1)
Not a big fan of this move, but this is starting to feel more and more like reality. Okudah is a big-time need for Detroit, and Matt Patricia is on the hot seat. This is prime C.J. Henderson/Javon Kinlaw territory, and maybe even Derrick Brown if things get spicy. Cleveland surely has their eye on a premier OT in this draft, and in my mock — 3 of the 4 are still available.
1. Duh (Bengals)
2. Young (Redskins)
3. Tua (Chargers)
4. Simmons (Giants)
5. Herbert (Dolphins)
6. Okudah (Lions)
7. Brown (Panthers)
8. Wills (Cardinals)
9. Kinlaw (Jaguars)
And that would leave the Falcons with…
R1, Pick 10: CB CJ Henderson, Florida
Chase gave us some insight on Henderson with this draft profile:
“On the positive side, his length and speed allow him to make up for mistakes and force passers to fit the ball into tight windows, even when he’s beat. He’s best utilized in press-man but can also play off the ball, and while he may not be the most aggressive cornerback against the run, that’s not the case in the passing game. Henderson closes quickly on receivers while being able to deliver a blow. He also has tremendous ball skills, utilizing them not only to knock away passes but to intercept them as well.”
Henderson, like Okudah, will immediately become CB1 in a pass defense that needs backup ASAP.
Trade 3: Falcons Trade Pick 16 (R1), Pick 47 (R2), Pick 114 (R4), 2021 First Round Pick, 2021 Second Round Pick to Washington in exchange for Pick 2 (R1)
The Godfather offer.
Chase Young needs no introduction. The one-man human wrecking crew does it all. If it weren’t for Joe Burrow posting the most fabulous CFB season ever, Young would be the unanimous number one choice. Quarterbacks are immensely valuable, but make no mistake — Young is the best player available and most sure-fire selection in the draft — bar none. I profiled him back in October, here
“He has the patented “slippery hips” and makes his way through small gaps very well. He’s comfortable with his hand in the dirt and standing up, which only adds to his versatility. The icing on the cake? Last season, Young was playing with two sprained ankles and still had 10.5 sacks, 15.5 TFL, and a forced fumble in 13 games playing 2nd fiddle to last year’s #2 overall pick Nick Bosa. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s determined, he’s fast, he’s physical, and he has a non-stop motor. That checks all of my boxes.”
Young is a franchise-altering player and also fills one of Atlanta’s most significant needs. With an already paper-thin roster, this move would be extremely short-sighted… but it might be what pushes the team over the top and saves everyone’s jobs.
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