2020 NFL Draft: Atlanta Falcons 7-round mock

The Atlanta Falcons have six draft picks to improve on what has been a great free agency period for the Dirty Birds. Here is their latest NFL mock draft.

After missing out on the NFC playoffs the last two seasons, the Atlanta Falcons are poised to return in 2020, potentially with the help of an expanded field. Despite a miserable 1-7 start, Atlanta went 6-2 in the second half to finish with a 7-9 overall record. The defense really came alive down the stretch and we know what this offense is capable of when it’s firing on all cylinders.

Atlanta has made several smart moves in free agency, most notably signing Dante Fowler Jr. and Todd Gurley away from the Los Angeles Rams in free agency. They have also added two more former first-round picks this offseason on the offensive side of the ball in former Baltimore Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst and former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Laquon Treadwell.

Overall, it is a great start, but the Falcons have plenty of work to do this offseason to get back into the postseason. Though they did a great job in free agency, given very little cap space to work with initially, Atlanta needs to crush it in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft with its six draft picks.

The Falcons have one pick in the first three rounds, two in the fourth and one in the seventh. They have primary needs out on the edge, along the defensive line and at tight end. Secondary needs include cornerback, running back and wide receiver. Tertiary needs are at quarterback, safety, guard and center.

First Round

Even though Atlanta was able to sign Fowler to effectively replace Vic Beasley in free agency, the Dirty Birds could still use a pass rusher or two to help round out this defense. Atlanta could go with a cornerback or a running back here at No. 16, but they are probably best served taking Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos with this draft selection.

Gross-Matos is 6-foot-5 and 264 pounds. He was a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten player during his final two years in State College. He had eight sacks as a sophomore and nine as a junior before turning pro a year early. Gross-Matos had 36.5 of his career 111 tackles go for a loss of yardage, 18.5 of them involved sacking the quarterback.

With Fowler replacing Beasley as a speed rusher, Gross-Matos looks to be more in the vein of an Adrian Clayborn, who was always good for half-dozen or so sacks a season at defensive end. Like Clayborn, Gross-Matos starred in the Big Ten during college and has faced great competition along the way.

Though there may be players who could fall to the Falcons at No. 16 if teams picking ahead of them go on a run for quarterbacks and offensive tackles, Gross-Matos feels like the high-end player who is expected to come off the board right around where Atlanta is picking in the first round.