NFL mock draft, 3 rounds: QBs, trades, surprises in latest predictions
2021 NFL mock draft: 4th pick
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. TE. Florida. player. 44. Kyle Pitts. 4
Falcons GM/HC: Terry Fontenot/Arthur Smith
The Atlanta Falcons could help make history here by taking a quarterback, which would be the first time in NFL history quarterbacks went 1-2-3-4 to start the NFL Draft.
I think a quarterback here could make a lot of sense for the Falcons. Here’s why:
- New GM/HC almost always means new QB
- Falcons probably don’t envision picking this high again soon
- Reasonable to believe Trey Lance or Justin Fields are their QB2 or QB3
With all of that being said, the Falcons have not shown any signs that they intend on a full-blown rebuild. They pushed a bunch of Matt Ryan’s money into 2022 leaving them with more than $40 million in dead money if they cut him loose.
The Falcons aren’t all that far removed from having a good enough team to make it to the Super Bowl, and at 35 going on 36, Ryan should still have plenty of good football left in him.
Adding a playmaker like Kyle Pitts will allow Arthur Smith to keep up his 12 personnel looks he highly favored when he was with the Tennessee Titans as their offensive coordinator (2nd-most in the league with two-tight end sets).
Pitts has an unparalleled catch radius, tremendous versatility, and most consider him to be the best non-quarterback in this draft class.
Putting him in an offense with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Hayden Hurst, and Matt Ryan at quarterback? That’s a group that could potentially be one of the best in the NFC in 2021.