Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Atlanta Falcons 2022 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 7.0

Throughout the year and leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, we will update our Atlanta Falcons Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Atlanta Falcons from several prominent sites and draft analysts.

The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Falcons:

ESPN - Mel Kiper (4/13)

8. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

I'm going to stick with this prediction because ... who is Marcus Mariota going to throw to next season? The Falcons just don't have any starting-caliber receivers. Wilson can run every route and beat defenders after the catch. He could be the early favorite for rookie of the year if he lands here -- he'd get a bunch of targets. Atlanta will likely be tracking the edge rushers closely, but there isn't value at this point on my board.

The Draft Network - Keith Sanchez (4/13)

8. Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State

The Falcons seem to be where no franchise wants to be: no man's land. They traded Matt Ryan after the pursuit of Deshaun Watson and now their starting quarterback seems to be Marcus Mariota.

With this pick, I think the Falcons decide to begin this rebuild by simply taking the best man available and selecting edge rusher Jermaine Johnson. Johnson is a high-motor player that showed that he can both be a dominant run defender and also be a double-digit sack guy.

NFL.com - Lance Zierlein (4/12)

8. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

The Falcons will likely shop this pick, as they have an abundance of needs, but they must come away with a wideout either way -- and the earlier, the better.

CBS Sports - Will Brinson (4/12)

8. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

Malik Willis would be spicy here but the Matt Ryan trade really signals Atlanta's need to do a full-blown rebuild. What makes Williams particularly interesting is the Falcons could get Calvin Ridley back after his suspension and suddenly have a loaded WR room once again as Williams moves further away from his ACL injury (ACLs aren't problems for NFL teams anymore, either).

PFF - Anthony Treash (4/11)

8. Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

Arthur Smith's offense is a dream fit for Ridder, the most NFL-ready quarterback in this class.

The Cincinnati product displayed high-level processing and flawlessly executed the Bearcats' pure passing concepts this past season. He got through his progressions, consistently finding the right receiver, and had nine games without a turnover-worthy play this past season -- the best mark in the FBS.

Ridder also ranked third among the top seven quarterback prospects in accurate-pass percentage on throws beyond the line of scrimmage. So, while it may not be perfect, his accuracy is not a liability.

Ridder has risen up NFL boards into the first-round conversation after lighting up the Senior Bowl and combine, and he's my top prospect at the position.

ESPN - Jordan Reid (4/11)

8. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

The Falcons need talent at nearly every position across the board. General manager Terry Fontenot could focus instead on taking the best prospect available. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Hamilton brings a tremendous skill set to the defensive backfield. He can be a playmaker and tone-setter for Atlanta.

CBS Sports - Ryan Wilson (4/11)

8. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

The Falcons replaced Matt Ryan with Marcus Mariota, so it stands to reason they could be in the market for a QB here since Mariota last started a game in 2019. But the WR position is in dire need of some upgrades and Wilson, who is our WR1, is a top-10 player all day long. His game reminds us of Odell Beckham Jr., and Atlanta may need to target several wideouts in this draft to restock a depleted unit.

MORE TEAMS: All NFL Team Mock Draft Roundups

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