Finally getting back into the Atlanta Falcons mock draft writing mood. After a week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, I am running a seven round Atlanta Falcons mock draft! The Falcons are a team that don’t have much of a foundation and I attempt to fix that while still improving the roster all the way through.
Round 1 Pick 8: David Ojabo, EDGE Michigan
Falcons add a dominant EDGE prospect here. David Ojabo is incredibly athletic with great bend and power. He is also incredibly disruptive at the line of scrimmage. Ojabo is no where near his ceiling as he has only been playing football since his junior year of high school, so the sky is the limit. Ojabo has the potential to really develop into a menace for the Falcons and would give them a good cornerstone on defense.
Round 2 Pick 43: Desmond Ridder, QB Cincinnati
Desmond Ridder is a bit more of a controversial figure at the quarterback position. Some scouts and analysts love him, while others don’t. Ridder is here for a couple different reasons. First, he is heavily linked to the Falcons: read more here. Also, Ridder gives the Falcons a quarterback of the future on roster who can learn from Matt Ryan.
Ridder has some tools that should make him appealing: he has a solid arm, he can run and excels on bootlegs and plays out of the pocket. Ridder fits Atlanta schematically, and with the rumors flowing about Atlanta’s interest it makes sense here.
Round 2 Pick 58: Christian Watson, WR North Dakota State
Getting Christian Watson here is a major steal. The 6’4″ freak out of North Dakota State was one of the standouts at the Senior Bowl. If you go back on his tape, it’s obvious to see why. Watson is a gifted athlete who can really takeover games. He is a smooth route runner who can turn on the burners.
One big thing that should make Watson appealing to the Falcons is that he lacks no fear as a blocker. Watching some of his tape, he isn’t afraid to get down and dirty and block. Keep an eye out for Watson to really establish himself in the league.
Round 3 Pick 74: Isaiah Spiller, RB Texas A&M
Isaiah Spiller is one of my favorite running backs in the class, and would be a huge get here for Atlanta. Spiller is a powerful runner, who at 6’1″ 215lbs, could become the bell cow for the Falcons offense. Spiller feels like a good fit for the Arthur Smith offense as he demonstrates good vision and power.
Round 4 Pick 112: John Ridgeway, iDL Arkansas
Here we have the Falcons grabbing an interior defensive lineman. John Ridgeway is a mountain of a man at 6’4″ 327lbs who can be that nose tackle next to Grady Jarrett we have been missing since Dontari Poe. Grabbing a guy like Ridgeway would help free up our linebackers to hit running lanes and holes freely. Ridgeway has the ability to be a plug early, and transition into a more complete player throughout his career in Atlanta.
Round 5 Pick 150: Dominique Robinson, EDGE Miami (Ohio)
Added another EDGE here because the Falcons haven’t had any real semblance of a pass rush since John Abraham played for the Dirty Birds. Adding Robinson would give us another EDGE to compete with Adetokunbo Ogundeji and Ojabo (In this mock at least). Robinson is 6’4″ and 254lbs, so he doesn’t really lack in the size department. Robinson isn’t as refined as other prospects, but getting him here is a nice add to a team that needs all the pass rushing help it can get.
Round 6 Pick 188: Chase Lucas, CB Arizona State
Chase Lucas is a nice add here and is a guy I’ve been high on for a while now. He does everything pretty well. He is a solid tackler, not afraid to be a force in the run game, and is good in zone coverage. Lucas is also an experienced starter. My biggest question is how much higher Lucas could get in terms of level of play. Adding Lucas here gives the Falcons some solid outside cornerback depth and even a potential starter to play opposite of Terrell.
Round 6 Pick 211: Jordan Stout, P Penn State
Punters are people too and deserve to be drafted. Jordan Stout was one of the best players in Mobile as a punter. His kickoffs in the rain were blasting out of the end zone and into the bleachers during practice. He kicked a massive bomb during the Senior Bowl game itself that went 63 yards. The Falcons had issues at punter the past couple of seasons and Stout would resolve that issue for the Dirty Birds.
What did you think of this Atlanta Falcons mock draft? Let us know on Twitter! @falcons_atb
