Atlanta Falcons 7-Round 2020 NFL mock draft: Filling the holes

Round 2, Pick 47 Overall: Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia

There is no denying that the Atlanta Falcons are thin at cornerback and there is growing speculation that Desmond Trufant won’t be around much longer. With that being said, Atlanta must address that cornerback position early in the draft and that’s where I’m going next in this 2020 NFL mock draft.

Bryce Hall saw his senior season with the Virginia Cavaliers cut short with an ankle injury that required surgery. Hall is currently rehabbing his left leg and is believed to be ready to test at Virginia’s pro-day on April 8th.

Hall’s length and physicality are his greatest strengths and he has exceptional ball skills that can create turnovers at the next level which is growing more important in the NFL. Hall is a high-character guy and Falcons fans know that is very important to Thomas Dimitroff and makes Hall a very likely candidate for the Falcons’ second-round selection in April.

Round 2, Pick 59 Overall: Justin Madubuike, IDL, Texas A&M

Thanks to the New England Patriots trade for wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, the Atlanta Falcons own their second-round pick and will give Dimitroff another early day-two pick to work with. The Falcons may use this pick to help them trade up in the first round or simply use it as another opportunity to select a player that can contribute right away for them.

In this 2020 NFL mock draft, I have Atlanta selecting the ascending interior defensive lineman from Texas A&M, Justin Madubuike. Madubuike plays with great leverage and is superbly powerful at the point of attack. He has been used in a variety of ways with the Aggies and projects as the versatile lineman beside Grady Jarrett Atlanta needs long-term.

Round 3, Pick 78 Overall: Shane Lemieux, IOL, Oregon

Like I referenced earlier, Atlanta had a clear identity going into the 2019 NFL Draft: find protection for Matt Ryan. They selected two rookies to play on the offensive line in the first round and now have invested much money and draft capital in four offensive linemen. The only hole? Left guard.

Dimitroff threw a lot of guaranteed money at free agents last off-season in an attempt to fill that spot, yet none of the players the Falcons brought in played well enough to warrant an additional contract.

Oregon was one of the most talented and experienced offensive lines in college football this season. Of that offensive line, the most talented was guard Shane Lemieux. He has the physical tools and plays with the grit and strength that you like in an interior lineman. He can walk into training camp and at-least compete for the starting role at left guard. If healthy, this offensive line could be one of the best in the NFL in 2020.