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Atlanta Falcons 2024 NFL Draft Guide: What you need to know

Hey Falcons fans! It's time to get ready for the 2024 NFL Draft with exclusive team insights and analysis.

Read below to get a sense for Atlanta's projected picks, positional needs, selection history, GM draft notes and more, all courtesy of the NFL's research team.

And don't forget to tune in on Thursday, April 25th at 8:00 p.m. ET for live coverage of the draft on NFL Network and NFL+.

Atlanta Falcons Draft Overview

2023 record: 7-10
Third in NFC South; missed playoffs

Falcons 2024 draft picks (8):

Round 1, pick 8
Round 2, pick 43
Round 3, pick 74
Round 3, pick 79 (acquired from Jacksonville Jaguars in Calvin Ridley trade)
Round 4, pick 109
Round 5, pick 143
Round 6, pick 187
Round 6, pick 197 (acquired from Cleveland Browns in Deion Jones trade)

Falcons team needs (according to Chad Reuter): Edge, Cornerback, Defensive Tackle, Safety, Quarterback

Projected Falcons first-round selection, via NFL.com draft analysts:

Table inside Article
Analyst Pick No. 8
Daniel Jeremiah EDGE Dallas Turner (ALA)
Charles Davis EDGE Dallas Turner (ALA)
Lance Zierlein EDGE Jared Verse (FSU)
Bucky Brooks EDGE Dallas Turner (ALA)
Peter Schrager EDGE Dallas Turner (ALA)

(See all projections at Mock Draft Central)

Falcons 2024 Opponents

Home

Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Giants, Chargers, Chiefs, Steelers, Seahawks

Away

Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Commanders, Eagles, Raiders, Broncos, Vikings

Falcons Notable Activity Tracker (2024 offseason):

Table inside Article
Adds Losses
HC Raheem Morris (Rams) TE Jonnu Smith (Dolphins)
QB Kirk Cousins (Vikings) CB Jeff Okudah (Texans)
TE Charlie Woerner (49ers) OL Matt Hennessy (Eagles)
WR Darnell Mooney (Bears) WR Mack Hollins (Bills)
WR Rondale Moore (trade - Cardinals) QB Desmond Ridder (trade - Cardinals)
WR Ray-Ray McCloud (49ers) WR Van Jefferson (Steelers)
DT Eddie Goldman RB/WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson (Steelers)
CB Antonio Hamilton (Cardinals) TE MyCole Pruitt (Steelers)
CB Kevin King

Falcons Decision Makers

Owner and Chairman: Arthur Blank

President and CEO: Rich McKay

General Manager: Terry Fontenot

Head Coach: Raheem Morris*

* New to role

Terry Fontenot

- Fontenot is entering his 4th season as Falcons GM

- Fontenot is the 1st Black GM in Falcons' history

- ATL went 7-10 in each of his first 3 seasons as GM (2021, 2022, 2023)

- 6th straight season ATL finished w/ 7 or fewer wins

Falcons Draft Notes

Terry Fontenot Era (Since 2021)

- 23 total players selected (12 offense, 11 defense)
- 1 Pro Bowler selected (TE Kyle Pitts)

- All three 1st Round picks were in the top-8 overall

- Has used all 3 1st-rd picks on offensive skill players (RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London, TE Kyle Pitts)

- Fontenot has made 3 draft picks inside the top-8 overall over his 3 drafts as ATL GM

- RB Bijan Robinson (#8 ovr in 2023): Led ATL with 1,463 scrimmage yards in 2023

- WR Drake London (#8 ovr in 2022): Leads ATL with 1,771 rec yards since 2022

- TE Kyle Pitts (#4 ovr in 2021): Leads ATL with 2,049 rec yards since 2021

- ATL has had 4 diff starting QBs over the 3 seasons that Fontenot has been GM (2021-23)

- Matt Ryan (17), Demond Ridder (17), Marcus Mariota (13), Taylor Heinicke (4)

- Fontenot traded Matt Ryan to IND during the 2022 offseason

- Received #82 ovr in 2022, selected DE DeAngelo Malone

- Malone started 0 games over 2 NFL seasons (1.0 sack)

- The Falcons traded Desmond Ridder (3rd-rd pick in 2022) to the Cardinals for WR Rondale Moore in March 2024

- Ridder: 8-9 W-L, 14 pass TD, 12 INT, 84.1 passer rtg over his 2 seasons w/ ATL

- As ATL GM, Fontenot has used a top-75 overall pick on every offensive & defensive position except OT, interior DL & CB (ATL has not selected an OT in any round since 2021)

Highest drafted Falcons player by position, since 2021

Table inside Article
Position Player Round Overall Year
QB Desmond Ridder 3rd 74th 2022
RB Bijan Robinson 1st 8th 2023
WR Drake London 1st 8th 2022
TE Kyle Pitts 1st 4th 2021
OT N/A
IOL Matthew Bergeron 2nd 38th 2023
DT Ta'Quon Graham 5th 148th 2021
EDGE Arnold Ebiketie 2nd 38th 2022
LB Troy Anderson 2nd 58th 2022
CB Darren Hall 4th 108th 2021
S Richie Grant 2nd 40th 2021

Last time Falcons picked each position in first round:

Table inside Article
Position Year Player School Pick No. (Overall)
QB 2008 Matt Ryan Boston College 3rd
RB 2023 Bijan Robinson Texas 8th
WR 2022 Drake London USC 8th
TE 2021 Kyle Pitts Florida 4th
OT 2019 Kaleb McGary Washington 31st
OG 2019 Chris Lindstrom Boston College 14th
C Never
DE 2017 Takkarist McKinley UCLA 26th
DT 2009 Peria Jerry Ole Miss 24th
LB 2010 Sean Witherspoon Missouri 19th
CB 2020 A.J. Terrell Clemson 16th
S 2016 Keanu Neal Florida 17th
P Never
K Never

Compiled by the NFL Research team. All data current as of April 16, 2024.

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