The Atlanta Falcons find themselves at an intriguing crossroads this offseason. They have brand new leadership with Matt Ryan being named President of Football, Ian Cunningham being hired as the general manager, and Kevin Stefanski joining as the head coach. The quarterback they took with a top-10 pick in 2024 is hurt, and one of their 2025 first-rounders may never play for them again. Still, they're in a winnable division and finished the 2025 season strong with four consecutive wins.
Atlanta has only five selections in the 2026 NFL draft, the second-fewest in the NFL behind only the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks. How can the Falcons use those picks to propel them back to the top of the NFC South? We’ve conducted a Falcons seven-round mock draft using our Mock Draft Machine.
Falcons 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
Round 2 (No. 48 overall): Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
The Falcons found some major safety help in the 2025 NFL Draft; now it's time to start stocking the cornerback cupboard for the future as well. Only A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes are under contract beyond the 2026 season, with the latter being an easy cut to save cap space before 2027 if the Falcons need it. San Diego State's Chris Johnson has had back-to-back strong seasons with the Aztecs and will be just 21 years old when the NFL season starts. Johnson is scheme-versatile and a difference-maker on the back end—he has five interceptions, four forced fumbles, and two touchdowns over his last two collegiate seasons. Johnson is still ascending as a prospect, leaving plenty of room for growth into being Terrell's long-term complement.
Round 3 (No. 79 overall): Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
Omar Cooper Jr. may end up going a round higher than this when the pre-draft process is all said and done, but I like his fit with the Falcons. Cooper isn't going to be a major vertical threat, but he has excellent contact balance with the ability to consistently break tackles in the middle of the field. He has really good hands, is quick out of his breaks, and is a YAC machine. He'll be a reliable option for whoever is under center for Atlanta next season. Also, Darnell Mooney could be a cap casualty this offseason, leaving a weak Falcons receiving corps even weaker.
Round 4 (No. 114 overall): Darrell Jackson Jr., IDL, Florida State
The Falcons need to continue investing in the interior of their defensive line, and I like the idea of them starting day three with a Senior Bowl standout. Darrell Jackson Jr. stands at 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds. He has the requisite size for the position with good athleticism to boot. He should be an impact run defender right away. The potential lack of pass-rushing upside is what may keep him out of the top 100, but don't be surprised if he's an instant contributor on early downs as a rookie.
Round 6 (No. 196 overall): Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M
Will Kyle Pitts return to the Falcons in 2026? If so, will it be on the franchise tag or a multi-year deal? While a sixth-round pick won't be a like-for-like Pitts replacement, Nate Boerkircher turned some heads with a strong Senior Bowl performance that gave scouts a peek into his potential upside. Boerkircher is an intelligent, high-effort player who can provide some nice depth for the Falcons. His football IQ and solid hands make him a reliable target, even if he's not much of a YAC threat. He's probably more of a help or chip blocker at this stage of his career, but there may be more upside there as well. He projects as a solid TE2 who can wear multiple hats on offense and special teams.
Round 7 (No. 232 overall): Nadame Tucker, EDGE, Western Michigan
Nadame Tucker is a very interesting name to monitor through this pre-draft process. He was a monster on the statsheet in 2025, recording a nation-leading 14.5 sacks and 21 TFLs at Western Michigan. However, he's an older prospect (he'll be 26 when the season begins) with only one year of production. He's also undersized for an NFL edge rusher. He may be worth a gamble for a team that believes Tucker is simply a late bloomer. He could go anywhere from the fifth to the seventh round.
