Falcons Draft Picks 2023: Every selection Atlanta has in April

Make it five straight seasons below the .500 mark for the Atlanta Falcons. Could this team bounce back with a very successful draft?

Back-to-back playoff appearances in 2016 (and a trip to Super Bowl LI) and ‘17 have now been followed by five consecutive losing campaigns for the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were one of three teams in the NFC South to finish with a 7-10 record a year ago. Based on tiebreakers, they wound up in the divisional basement.

Of course, the division was won by the 8-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. Given the numerous changes by all four clubs, it’s safe to say that whoever wins the NFC South won’t be a huge surprise.

In terms of this offseason, general manager Terry Fontenot has not gone overboard in terms of free-agent signings. The team has added some very intriguing players and a few quality veterans. The latest example is 15-year pro Calais Campbell. The six-time Pro Bowler joins his fourth NFL team. All told, Arthur Smith’s club bears watching.

Falcons draft picks 2023

Terry Fontenot has nine selections in this month’s draft. For the second consecutive year, the Falcons finished with a 7-10 record and once again have the eighth overall pick.

• Round 1: 8th overall
• Round 2: 44th overall
• Round 3: 75th overall
• Round 4: 110th overall
• Round 4: 113th overall
• Round 5: 159th overall
• Round 6: None
• Round 7: 224th overall
• Round 7: 225th overall
• Round 7: 245th overall

Atlanta has an extra fourth-round pick via the Titans as part of the deal that sent wide receiver Julio Jones to Tennessee in 2021. The Falcons sent their fifth-round choice to the Raiders as part of the Bryan Edwards deal (but got a seventh-round pick in return) in 2022 but got a fifth-round pick from Jacksonville for wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

Falcons draft needs 2023

The Falcons’ needs are courtesy of Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

1. Quarterback
2. Wide receiver
3. Edge

The folks at PFF still list the Falcons’ biggest need as being quarterback. The club did invest a third-round pick in Desmond Ridder a year ago and he wound up starting the final four games of the season. The team also signed journeyman quarterback Taylor Heinicke away from the Commanders.

A year ago, Atlanta struck gold with wide receiver Drake London in the first round. He led the club with 72 catches and 866 receiving yards and tied for the team lead with four touchdown grabs. It’s also worth noting that only the Bears averaged fewer passing yards per game in the league in 2022.