And that’s a wrap for day one of the 2020 NFL draft. The Atlanta Falcons stayed put at their No. 16 spot to select former Clemson cornerback, A.J. Terell in the first round.
Tonight, the Falcons will enter the second round with the 47th overall pick.
The Falcons might have surprised a lot of us in the first round by not trading up from 16th overall to select Terrell and Atlanta’s general manager Thomas Dimitroff made it clear that last night that he’s ready to keep his later round picks too.
“At 47 it’s a good place for us to be,” Dimitroff said. “We already mapped out a couple of different positions that we were looking at. … We feel like there’s a really rich area there between the early part of the second round to 47, and we feel like we might have some really good opportunities there.”
The Later Rounds Matter Too
Now that they have grabbing a top tier cornerback out of the way, they’ll move on to getting a guy or to for the defensive line. Atlanta will also be grabbing a rookie running back at some point, but it all depends on what’s available across their board at the time.
Head coach Dan Quinn gave some insight as to how the draft has unfolded for them so far.
“As you’re going into the next couple of days, there’s that position that we had talked about that had some depth in some pass rushers and defensive tackles,” Quinn said. “Just some years, that’s how it falls through. Some of the corners were regarded higher and some of the defensive tackles maybe a little bit lower. That doesn’t mean if you’re not a first-round pick you’re not a good player, that’s far from it.”
A Lot of Talent Left
In the first round, the Falcons passed on higher-rated players in Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, LSU defensive end K’lavon Chaisson, Michigan center/guard Cesar Ruiz and Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray.
A surprise there since both Murray and Chaisson were linked to the Falcons in a way too many experts’ mock drafts.
But going into day two, there is plenty of talent to choose from. This 2020 class runs deep.
Players left for Friday night include D’Andre Swift, J.K. Dobbins, Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, Michael Pittman Jr., Tee Higgins, Cole Kmet, Ezra Cleveland, Ross Blacklock, AJ Epensa, Yetur Gross-Matos, Zack Baun, Trevon Diggs, Xavier McKinney, Grant Delpit, Antoine Winfield Jr.
Looking at this list, the Falcons were very interested in Cam Akers at the scouting combine, but a running back isn’t a top priority. It’s time to turn to the trenches.
One draft expert, Neal Driscoll has that Falcons picking defensive tackle from TCU Ross Blacklock.
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Blacklock’s Scouting Report
It’s obvious the Falcons need all the help they can get on the line and Blacklock would be a solid pick.
Expert ESPN analyst Lance Zierlein gives his overview:
Flashes menacing disruptive qualities as a gap seeker, but is just ordinary when forced to sit and take on blocks. Blacklock rebounded from a 2018 Achilles injury and showed off basketball quickness that was often too much for a single blocker. However, his technique and hand usage need work, as he’s inconsistent holding the point and keeping his feet. He’s a hit-or-miss run defender, but he’s a relentless pass rusher with elite lateral quickness and change of direction to exploit interior galoots and open pathways to the pocket. Blacklock needs development as a one-gapping three-technique with rare movement talent and intriguing rush potential.
As always, enjoy the show.
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Falcons NFL Draft Picks: When Does Atlanta Select in 2nd Round?