Atlanta Falcons 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft: Focus is on the defense

After a poor start to the 2019 season, the Atlanta Falcons won six of their last eight games and look to build on their strong finish through the draft.

The Atlanta Falcons couldn’t have looked more like a different team by the end of the 2019 season. After starting the season 1-8, the Falcons looked set to fire head coach Dan Quinn and have a top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. After a shocking 26-9 win in New Orleans, the Falcons went on a run, ending the season 6-2 and winning their last four games, giving Quinn another year.

While Quinn remains the head coach, the Falcons underwent several changes that will give them a much different look beyond the changes to the roster. The Falcons released long-time starts Desmond Trufant and Devonta Freeman and allowed starters Vic Beasley, Austin Hooper, De’Vondre Campbell, Adrian Clayborn and Wes Schweitzer to leave in free agency.

The Falcons addressed their departures with a couple of notable free-agent signings. Their biggest splash came with the one-year, $5.5 million signing of former Georgia Bulldog, Todd Gurley. While Gurley has struggled with arthritis, the 2018 MVP candidate is a low risk, high upside player if he can stay healthy in Atlanta. While he should not be expected to replicate his 2018 form of 1,831 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns, he can be another dangerous offensive weapon.

The Falcons’ biggest free-agent signing was edge rusher Dante Fowler. Atlanta signed Fowler to a three-year, $48 million deal and will look to add more pass rushers in the draft to pressure Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Teddy Bridgewater. In addition to Fowler, the Falcons brought back backup linebacker LaRoy Reynolds and XFL linebacker Edmond Robinson from the Houston Roughnecks. Robinson accounted for 22 tackles, 2 sacks and a forced fumble in the XFL.

The Atlanta Falcons enter the 2020 NFL Draft with a total of six selections. They hold the 16th overall selection after their 7-9 season and hold their selections in the second, third and fourth rounds. The Falcons swapped the 55th overall pick received for Mohamed Sanu and their fifth-round pick as part of the Hayden Hurst trade which brought in an additional fourth-round selection. After the fourth round selection at 143, the Falcons will not pick again until the seventh round.

With an offense now including Gurley, the Falcons look to make their defense a priority early in the draft. Atlanta ranked near the bottom in the league in pass rush and had the second-highest number of drives ending in an opponent touchdown at 42.8%, trailing only the Dolphins. With needs on the defensive line, pass rush, and the secondary the Atlanta Falcons should focus on the best player available come draft day.