Falcons linked to shocking defensive prospect with No. 8 pick

While the team has gone 7-10 in three consecutive seasons, you cannot criticize what general manager Terry Fontenot has done with his first three first-round picks leading the Atlanta Falcons. He took tight end Kyle Pitts No. 4 overall in 2021, wide receiver Drake London No. 8 overall in 2022 and running back Bijan Robinson No. 8 overall last year. Now, it seems like he will be drafting defense.

Atlanta has the No. 8 overall pick for the third year in a row. All signs point to the Dirty Birds taking a defensive player, probably an edge rusher, maybe even a second cornerback to pair with A.J. Terrell. However, ESPN's Adam Schefter has an extreme dark horse tied to the Falcons at No. 8. That would be Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. Raheem Morris wants his own Aaron Donald.

Atlanta's new head coach worked with Donald the last three years with the Los Angeles Rams. Although he was truly dominant playing for his hometown Pittsburgh Panthers in the ACC, Donald went in the teens to the Rams because of his size. He went on to be the most dominant player on the defensive side of the ball in a generation. Murphy may work well in Atlanta, but let's not reach for him.

Murphy could play next to Grady Jarrett in the trenches to fortify the Falcons' bad pass rush there.

Let's discuss if this is the right move for the Falcons to make at No. 8, or should they trade back a bit.

Adam Schefter has Texas' Byron Murphy II as Atlanta Falcons' dark horse

In the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft, Murphy feels like a first-round lock. All things equal, he should be coming off the board to either the Cincinnati Bengals picking at No. 18, or the Rams at No. 19 as Donald's immediate replacement, who just retired. Atlanta is about as early as he could be coming off the board, but keep in mind that the Chicago Bears can also use his services with the No. 9 pick, too.

Preferably, you would hope that Fontenot has enough draft-savvy to trade back from No. 8 to take Murphy if Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake are dead-set on the guy. The problem is you have no way in knowing what teams like the Bears and the New York Jets are going to do picking immediately after you. Also, is there a team who may want to trade up to No. 8 in a deal with Atlanta?

While I would much rather stand pat at No. 8 and take someone like Dallas Turner out of Alabama, Laiatu Latu out of UCLA or Jared Verse out of Florida State, I trust Fontenot's judgment. The Falcons are not a good team yet, but he has hit more than he has missed as Atlanta's general manager. There is a reason why he still has a job and former head coach Arthur Smith now works over in Pittsburgh.

All I know is Atlanta needs to address its defensive front-seven before the end of day two on Friday.