Try as I might, I just couldn’t beat the ticking clock of the NFL draft this time with my 32 perfect drafts and so the Atlanta Falcons will just get half a perfect draft and half their own sorry-ass actual draft. I kid. They actually have done pretty well.
The Falcons haven’t been content to stay put in the rounds they did make picks, so not only will I talk about what they did, but what they could have done.
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Round 1, Pick 26: Takkarist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA
2016: 61 tackles, 18 for a loss, 10 sacks, six passes defended, three forced fumbles
Who I had them taking – Round 1, Pick 31: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
2016: 40 tackles, 13.5 for a loss, 10 sacks, two passes defended
It turns out the Falcons were smart to make the trade and jump up a few spots if these were their top two guys. Charlton would have been gone when they picked at No. 31, having been selected by the Dallas Cowboys at 28. If they liked McKinley enough that he was worth their second round pick. I do think the Steelers would have taken McKinley at No. 30, but that would have still netted the Falcons T.J. Watt if they wanted him. I think it all came down to taking a guy that could play in a 4-3. In that case, Watt was off their board and they obviously liked McKinley better than Charlton.
Round 2, No pick
Who I had them taking: Round 2, Pick 63: Ethan Pocic, Center, LSU
Pocic would have been gone at 63 too, meaning the Flacons would have probably gone with the guy the Bills took at 63, Dion Dawkins or the guy the Panthers nabbed at 64, Taylor Moton.
Round 3, Pick 75: Duke Riley, LB, LSU
2016: 93 tackles, nine for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one pass defended, one fumble recovery
Who I had them taking: Round 3, Pick 95: George Kittle, TE, Iowa
2016: 22 catches, 314 yards, four touchdowns
Riley is a terrific pick here and a position of need for the Falcons. Since I don’t factor in trades, I figured he’d be gone long before Atlanta picked at No. 95, so I gave Matt another tight end weapon. The good news for the Falcons is if they want the 6-4, 250 Kittle, he’s still available in the fourth round. All this quarterback action really pushed players around.
Now we get to the fun part, figuring out who the Falcons will nab in Saturday’s nooner action.
Round 4, Pick 136: Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech
2016: 48 catches, 691 yards, seven touchdowns, nine rushes, 42 yards
Who I had them taking: Kenny Golladay, WR, Northern Illinois
2016: 87 catches, 1,1156 yards, eight touchdowns, 20 rushes, 192 yards, two touchdowns
Kittle might still be on the board here, but Hodges is a better athlete who I thought for sure would be picked in the third round. Instead, he lasts to the fourth and the 6-7, 245-pound tight end should be an immediate impact player for the Falcons on offense.
Golloday would have been an outstanding pick for the Falcons in the fourth. So outstanding, in fact, the Detroit Lions picked him in the third round.
Round 5, Pick 174: Aviante Collins, OG, TCU
With all the focus on skill players and just two picks left, the Falcons need to shore up their offensive line depth. In the fifth round they should be able to add Collins to their roster. He’s 6-4 and 295 pounds and comes from an athletic family. Both his dad and his brother were sprinters. He’s started at tackle on both ends of the line, but his frame and skillset translate better to guard in the the NFL. Last season he didn’t miss a start at right tackle for the Horned Frogs.
Round 7, Pick 249: Erik Austell, OG, Charleston Southern
Austell has started every game he was healthy at left tackle for Charleston Southern since his sophomore season. Even injured his junior year, he was named to the All-Big South team for his work in a shortened season. Austell is 6-3 and 301 pounds and will absolutely have to move inside in the NFL. Still, he’s a solid pass and run blocker and was named an FCS All-American in 2016 by the Associated Press.
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