The Atlanta Falcons have been a complete disaster in 2020, but the team’s nightmare of a season could pay off when the 2021 NFL Draft rolls around. At 4-10, the Falcons are currently slated to land the fifth-overall pick in next year’s draft.
This leaves the door open for a number of different scenarios. One of them, as our friends over at Draft Wire are predicting, is for the team to select a new quarterback.
In Luke Easterling’s latest mock, Atlanta takes Ohio State QB Justin Fields at pick No. 5. Fields is considered the the second or third best quarterback prospect in this year’s outstanding QB class. Two others, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence (pick No. 1) and BYU’s Zach Wilson (pick No. 4), are projected to go in the top five.
Fields still has at least one more game to play with Ohio State set to take on Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day. In six games this season, Fields has thrown for 1,521 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 174.5.
Watch Fields as he torches Rutgers for five touchdown passes in the highlight video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhtKYM3ps60
In the second round of Easterling’s mock, the Falcons get some help at defensive end. With the 36th pick, the team selects Penn State’s Jayson Oweh.
The Nittany Lions went just 4-5 this season but Oweh played well. Despite not recording a sack this year, he was routinely one of Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded defensive linemen. Oweh finished his college career with 63 tackles (37 solo), seven sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defended.
Check out this highlight video of Oweh playing against Idaho in 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAsPS43Vr6Q
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