Atlanta Falcons 7-Round 2022 Mock Draft: Adding Size, Speed At WR

Round 2, 43rd Overall: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

As previously stated, the receiver room (and skill positions in general) isn’t much outside of Pitts. Bringing back Cordarrelle Patterson was huge, and they added a jump ball guy in Auden Tate in free agency. But, adding some explosiveness makes a ton of sense for the Falcons.

Christian Watson is getting round one talk in the 2022 NFL Draft, but this is a better range for him. Watson has the game-breaking speed to win deep down the field and stretch defenses vertically to open up space. He flashed some quick separation skills and lower body flexibility down at the Senior Bowl, and has the ability to play a gadget role with some schemed touches.

Round 2, 58th Overall: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina

It’ll be interesting to see if(or when) the Falcons address the quarterback position in this draft to sit behind Mariota, who has the “bridge” label. There’s been some talk at the eighth pick, but unless the really like Malik Willis, it feels like a stretch. Day two is where they might look with their stocked cupboard of selections.

Sam Howell is an intriguing selection in this Falcons mock draft. Howell is only 21, the youngest quarterback in class, and offers the upside in terms of his velocity, deep accuracy, toughness, and playmaking ability out of structure. Building consistency against pressure and cutting down on some bad decisions will be important for his NFL development, but it’s worth it on day two.