The 2026 NFL Draft is just days away, and the Atlanta Falcons are finalizing their draft plans. At the same time, I’ve been finalizing my final 7-round mock draft. This will be the biggest and baddest one yet, complete with my best-guess predictions and some potentially shocking trades.
This is a particularly difficult year for mock drafts, as Atlanta has just five picks (including no first-rounder) and a completely new staff from top-to-bottom. I simply have to go off the vibfes from Kevin Stefanski
and Ian Cunningham, and those vibes are telling me that this team is likely to work very hard to acquire additional picks. Beyond that, I believe the Falcons are searching for long-term starters, not necessarily focusing on high-floor 2026 starters.
I look at this team and see the building blocks of something good, but it’s too far away from serious contention to be fixed with a single, limited draft class. While there are still free agency moves to come, I don’t see Atlanta drastically changing their approach once the comp picks have been settled.
Before we jump in to the mock, let’s take a look at the Falcons’ current haul of draft picks.
What are the Falcons current draft picks?
- Round 2, Pick 48
- Round 3, Pick 79
- Round 4, Pick 122
- Round 6, Pick 215
- Round 7, Pick 231
This is the written version, but you can also find the mock draft in two alternate forms as well. On our YouTube channel:
The mock is also available on all your favorite podcast platforms! You can listen to it directly here:
Round 2, Pick 48: DT Christen Miller, Georgia
I wanted to take an advantageous trade down here, but there simply weren’t any good offers coming in. That’s a realistic scenario, particularly with teams well aware of Atlanta’s situation and desire to trade down. I think it’s likely Ian Cunningham will be low-balled by the rest of the NFL here, and he may have to simply put his foot down and play hardball with pick 48. That will pay dividends for the future.
While I don’t think the Falcons trade of Ruke Orhorhoro for Maason Smith moves the needle in terms of their draft needs, I do think the team will strongly consider adding to the defensive line with their first pick. With Georgia’s Christen Miller on the board here, this is an easy selection.
Miller is a big (6’4, 320) interior defensive lineman who wins with a combination of power, athleticism, and savvy. He’s a technically advanced player who knows his assignment and how to best impact the play. Miller’s best overall trait is his power, as he can be utterly overwhelming against single blocks. For a nose tackle, he’s also an effective pressure-generator, as his 11.3% pass rush win rate shows. Miller is never going to pile up sacks, but he can push the pocket. His biggest issue is inconsistency taking on double teams due to a lack of mass, so continuing to add good weight will be important for Miller’s NFL ceiling. If he can get to 330 without sacrificing too much mobility, I don’t think there are many holes in his game.
Miller is a polished interior defender who can play in a variety of spots along the defensive line. He’d immediately address Atlanta’s biggest defensive weakness and give the team a versatile, three-down nose tackle option.
TRADE — Round 2, Pick 56: WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
The Falcons trade TE Kyle Pitts to the Jaguars for pick 56.
The Falcons couldn’t pull off a trade down from 48, but they’ve continued to work the phones. After a previous trade this offseason, Ian Cunningham and Jeff Gladstone connect once again—this time for tight end Kyle Pitts. The Jaguars need impact playmakers and the Falcons need picks, so Atlanta sends Pitts to Jacksonville in exchange for pick 56.
Atlanta is in dire need of playmakers of their own, so the Falcons quickly add to their wide receiver room with Zachariah Branch from Georgia. That’s right: back-to-back Georgia picks. First off, I do not believe NFL teams will care one bit about Branch’s “arrest”. My thoughts on Branch haven’t changed since earlier this cycle: I still believe he’s one of the most dynamic receivers in the class, and fills a massive void on Atlanta’s offense. Here’s what I said about Branch in a previous mock:
Branch is small in stature (5’10, 180) but brings a lot of what Atlanta needs to the table. He’s a dynamic athlete and YAC demon, capable of making big plays in space and in the short area of the field. Branch also has the long speed to threaten defenses deep and can help take some of the attention away from Drake London. Branch is a great separator and is physical despite his size limitations, posting an elite 62.5% contested catch rate and a drop rate of just 2.4%.
He still needs a lot of work on refining and expanding his route tree, and he’s a slot-only player at this stage of his career. Still, Branch is an electric playmaker who also offers return ability that the Falcons could desperately use. Here at end of the second round, that’s a skillset worth taking.
TRADE — Round 3, Pick 87: OT Markel Bell, Miami
The Falcons trade picks 79 (3rd) and 215 (6th) for picks 87 (3rd) and 130 (4th).
You didn’t think we’d get out of here without some sort of trade down, did you? The Falcons struck out at 48, but manage to get a deal done with the Dolphins. Atlanta moves down 8 spots in exchange for a late fourth-rounder, sending back 215 to even out the numbers. We know the Falcons are in desperate need of building out their offensive tackle depth, and one of the most intriguing developmental prospects in the class is still on the board here at 87.
Miami’s Markel Bell is an absolute mountain of a man at over 6’9, 346 and with colossal 36.5” arms. He is, without a doubt, one of the largest players to enter the NFL in recent memory. Due to his frame, he carries nearly 350 pounds like some linemen carry 320. He does not have bad weight on him. There are some limitations to his change-of-direction, and leverage will never be a strong point of his game. That being said, his incredible size simply makes him too big of an impediment for many edge rushers to get around. He can delay rushers simply by getting in the way, giving him a high floor in pass protection.
Bell can be an overwhelming power blocker in the run game, but still has a lot of technical work to do. Outside zone is not going to be his strong suit, although his overall athleticism is good for his size. He needs refinement with his hand usage and placement, and will need constant work to keep his pad level low. All that being said, this is a one-of-one offensive tackle from a size perspective. Bell has rare physical gifts and can be molded into a high-end starter with the right coaching and scheme. This is the perfect project for Bill Callahan in Atlanta, and hopefully the Falcons can unearth a future starter in Bell.
Round 4, Pick 122: DB VJ Payne, Kansas State
The Falcons need secondary help, and Kansas State’s VJ Payne offers a lot of versatility to play wherever Atlanta needs him. Payne offers an intriguing blend of size (6’3, 206, 34” arms) and athleticism (4.4s 40), and split time between safety and slot defender over the past several seasons. He’s actually a better coverage player than run defender, with good instincts in zone and smothering size in man. Payne was one of the best players in college football at covering tight ends in 2025, and that could be a specialty of his at the NFL level.
Payne is a competent run defender but isn’t overly physical, which is why I think his best fit in the NFL might actually be as a cornerback. He lacks experience playing outside, but I believe Payne can be a matchup specialist working against big-bodied receivers and tight ends—whether in the slot or outside. He’ll need some coaching up to get there, but he’s got a floor as a competent safety and terrific special teams player in the meantime. The Falcons have shown a proclivity for converting ballhawking safeties to corners, and Payne could be next in line.
Round 4, Pick 130: TE Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
Pick received from the Dolphins.
With Kyle Pitts no longer in Atlanta, the Falcons suddenly have a void to fill at tight end. I could see the team going out and adding a veteran like David Njoku after the draft, but I think we’ll also see a draft pick in this deep tight end class. In this scenario, Notre Dame’s Eli Raridon is available in an ideal spot with Atlanta’s newly-acquired pick. Raridon is a big-bodied tight end prospect (6’6, 245) who excelled as a blocker and receiver during the 2025 season. He’s a good athlete who wins with a mix of speed, quickness, and savvy route running.
Raridon’s best attribute might his toughness, both as a blocker and as a contested catch receiver. He is unafraid to do the dirty work and will make the tough catches over the middle and in the red zone. Raridon offers a large catch radius and sure hands, making him an easy, QB-friendly target. All that being said, Raridon lacks truly elite traits in any one area, and might top out as a do-it-all TE2 in the NFL. He also suffered two ACL tears in his right knee back in 2021 and 2022, but has since been healthy for three straight seasons. With the Falcons likely to use two and three tight end sets with regularity, Raridon should slot right into Atlanta’s rotation as rookie.
Round 7, Pick 231: WR Malik Benson, Oregon
The Falcons continue to look for playmakers on both sides of the ball, and wind up getting lucky with Oregon’s Malik Benson falling into the seventh round. Benson is an older prospect who worked his way up through the JUCO ranks, finally finding breakout success in his last season. He’s a burner (4.37s 40) with average size (6’0, 190) who wins on a primarily vertical route tree thanks to his sure hands and catch radius combined with surprising tenacity in contested catch situations.
Benson is a limited receiver at this point, with very limited route running and not much value on short throws. But the package of traits is intriguing, and the Falcons do need a speedy Z flanker to run clear outs opposite Drake London and Co. Benson has a lot of work to do before becoming an NFL starter, but he does have upside as a specialized deep threat and possible special teams gunner thanks to his toughness. I think there’s a world where Benson could emerge as a WR3 after a season or two of development.
What do you think about this potential draft class for the Falcons? Leave your draft takes in the comments below!
