The Falcons are seemingly committed to Matt Ryan in 2022, although it remains to be seen whether or not that commitment extends past next season. With so many needs across the roster, and the salary cap limitations Terry Fontenot is working with, the Falcons will be fighting an uphill battle to get to the postseason this year.

The only possible way I see Atlanta competing for a playoff spot in 2022 is if the front office hits on multiple low-cost free agents—as they did with Cordarrelle Patterson—and if the rookies in the 2022 draft class have exponentially more impact than the ones in Fontenot’s first draft as general manager. He’s been adamant about taking the best player available in drafts, since reaching for players that might fit your needs is how other front offices make mistakes. The Falcons, like many franchises, draft the best player available, then fill out the rest of the roster through free agency.

However, this upcoming class is loaded in the positions the Falcons need so desperately. I don’t expect Fontenot to stray from his strategy heading into the draft, but there will be excellent chances for the Falcons to address several positions of need.

Dane Brugler, a highly respected draft pundit for The Athletic, just released his updated top 100 prospects list (subscription required), many of whom will interest the Falcons. What’s more enticing, however, is the positions of these prospects. Below is a breakdown of the top 100 by position:

17 EDGE
14 WR
11 CB
10 LB
10 OT
9 IOL (centers and guards)
7 SAF
7 DT
6 QB
5 RB
4 TE

The Falcons are desperate for five of the top six positions on Brugler’s draft board. There are high-end, instant-impact starters on this list, but there are also lower-end, rotational prospects the Falcons could use to bolster the depth chart. Here are the edge defenders, wide receivers, cornerbacks, tackles, and interior offensive linemen on Brugler’s list and their rankings.

EDGEs

1. Aidan Hutchinson

4. Kayvon Thibodeaux

6. Travon Walker

14. David Ojabo

15. Jermaine Johnson

21. George Karlaftis

33. Logan Hall

34. Arnold Ebiketie

38. Kingsley Enagbare

54. Drake Jackson

58. Myjai Sanders

66. Alex Wright

75. Boye Mafe

82. Dominique Robinson

84. DeAngelo Malone

88. Cameron Thomas

92. Jesse Luketa

Wide Receivers

11. Garrett Wilson

13. Treylon Burks

16. Drake London

22. Jameson Williams

25. Chris Olave

30. Jahan Dotson

47. Jalen Tolbert

50. John Metchie III

67. George Pickens

69. David Bell

77. Wan’Dale Robinson

79. Skyy Moore

90. Justyn Ross

96. Christian Watson

Cornerbacks

9. Derek Stingley Jr.

10. Ahmad Gardner

12. Trent McDuffie

18. Andrew Booth Jr.

39. Kaiir Elam

43. Roger McCreary

68. Kyler Gordon

72. Marcus Jones

73. Tariq Woolen

87. Martin Emerson

4. Coby Bryant

Offensive Tackle

2. Ikem Ekwonu

3. Evan Neal

8. Charles Cross

19. Trevor Penning

29. Bernhard Raimann

52. Daniel Faalele

64. Max Mitchell

83. Abraham Lucas

85. Tyler Smith

89. Nicholas Petit-Frere

Interior Offensive Linemen

17. Tyler Linderbaum

24. Kenyon Green

26. Zion Johnson

42. Darian Kinnard

49. Jamaree Salyer

70. Dylan Parham

80. Ed Ingram

81. Marquis Hayes

97. Lecitus Smith

The Falcons have four picks in the top 100—0, 46, 61, and 77—and five in the top 115, which means they should be able to come away with a few of the guys on this list. Terry Fontenot won’t reach on a particular prospect just because they satisfy a need; however, it’s highly unlikely that the Falcons come away with none of these positions from the first hundred picks.