Atlanta Falcons Draft Grades
How did the Falcons do in the 2021 NFL Draft? We give the Atlanta Falcons draft grades for every pick them made.
Round 1 (No. 4 overall) – Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Pitts is one of the most athletic tight end prospects ever. He has a ton of expectations on him to immediately be a dangerous weapon. I’m not sure Pitts lives up to the hype simply because, if he’s not prime Tony Gonzalez right away, people will be disappointed. This is a good pick from a value standpoint, but the Falcons were simply horrible on defense last year. That’s clearly where their biggest needs are. Atlanta’s offense should be a lot of fun, and their defense should leave fans depressed. Pitts was the consensus number one TE Grade: A-
Round 2 (40, from Broncos) – Richie Grant, S, Central Florida
I think we have covered that Atlanta’s defense is a huge weakness, so it’s good to see Atlanta address that side of the ball early. Grant is another athletic freak. He can cover, he can stop the run, he’s a very talented all around safety with a sky high ceiling. I know he was a lot of teams highest rated safety, and he was arguably the first safety taken. Grant should immediately help the Falcons secondary as a highly ranked safety. Grade: A
Round 3 (68) – Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
Jalen Mayfield did not test well athletically. He also has only 15 starts in college. Despite the bad testing, Mayfield does have good feet when blocking. Simply put, Mayfield looks a lot better on tape than he tests. So who’s the real Jalen Mayfield? Time will tell. Grade: B
Round 4 (108) – Darren Hall, CB, San Diego State
Darren Hall played well at San Diego State for 3 years, he’s solid in coverage. He’s got decent speed and above average explosiveness. There are some corners I was more interested in at this spot, but Hall is a solid choice. Grade: B
Round 4 (114, from Broncos) – Drew Dalman, C, Stanford
Dalman was a prospect I had my eye on as a real sleeper in this class. I guess center is just an undervalued position in the draft. Dalman excelled at Stanford this past year, and also tested extremely well. Dalman is a great athlete and great football player, so I’m excited to see what he does in the NFL. Grade: A
Round 5 (148) – Ta’Quon Graham, DT, Texas
Ta’Quon Graham is strong and fast, excelling in the bench press and 40 yard dash. He played at a high level at Texas, and has extremely long arms, which are very useful for engaging offensive lineman. He’s a little undersized, but I like his potential. Grade: A-
Round 5 (182, compensatory) – Adetokunbo Ogundeji, DE, Notre Dame
This guy is good at getting to the quarterback, and the Falcons need someone who can provide pressure. Ogundeji had two good years at Notre Dame and has extremely long arms. He was an interesting sleeper in this class, and goes into a situation where edge rushers are desperately needed. Grade: A-
Round 5 (183, compensatory) – Avery Williams, CB, Boise State
Williams is short, but an excellent athlete. I’m guessing he was taken primarily as a returner and just to provide deep cornerback depth. Time will tell if Williams makes an impact for the Falcons. Grade: B-
Round 6 (187) – Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State
Frank Darby isn’t a great athlete, and he didn’t play well at Arizona State. Scouting reports list him as an athlete, but his workout numbers tell a very different story. I don’t understand this pick. Grade: D-
Analyst- Jonah Anderson
Overall Grade: B+
