For the second year in a row, the Atlanta Falcons enter the offseason with a top-10 pick in the upcoming NFL draft. The last time this happened, the team selected left tackle Jake Matthews in 2014 (sixth overall), and edge rusher Vic Beasley in 2015 (eighth overall).
ESPN’s draft analyst, Mel Kiper, unveiled his first mock of the offseason and has the Falcons targeting a cornerback to pair with A.J. Terrell.
Round 1 pick 8: CB, Derek Stingley – LSU
A leap of faith may be needed for this selection, but the team’s secondary needs to be addressed. In 2021, Atlanta signed Fabian Moreau, who struggled to hold his own and may not be back in 2022.
However, Kiper projecting the Falcons to go with Stingley Jr. means the team would pass on options such as Nakobe Dean, Drake London, Ahmad Gardner, and Garrett Wilson.
Stingley Jr. has had some trouble staying healthy, playing in just 10 total games over the last two seasons. Kiper also discussed the Falcons taking a quarterback with the eighth overall pick but referenced Chris Mortensen’s report about the team sticking with Ryan for the 2022 season.
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