Atlanta Falcons 7-Round 2022 Mock Draft: Offense-Heavy Day Two

Round 2, 43rd Overall: John Metchie III, WR, Alabama

Kyle Pitts, while outstanding, isn’t enough in terms of pass catchers for current starter Marcus Mariota. Value is going to present itself for the Atlanta Falcons at wide receiver, and they get some here in taking Alabama receiver John Metchie III.

Metchie’s injury in the SEC Championship game is likely the reason his stock is tumbling a bit, but he’s a great technician and it starts at the line of scrimmage. His release package is impressive, and he can get wide enough with shuffle releases and still quickly get into his stem. He leans well before his breaks to create space, and he has wiggle and burst after the catch. If he improves the hand technique, he will be extremely productive in Atlanta.

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

The Falcons will at least be looking for a quarterback in this year’s draft, and if they have a chance to get value by selecting Sam Howell later in round two, it makes sense to pounce on it.

Sam Howell has had a productive three years at North Carolina, and while the Virginia Tech game highlighted the decision making issue, Howell righted the ship with a whole new cast of playmakers in 2021. The deep ball accuracy is still there, and he generates good velocity to push the boundary and can make plays out of structure with his arm and his legs.