Atlanta Falcons need to target a receiver in the mid-rounds

The Atlanta Falcons need to target a wide receiver at some point during the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Atlanta Falcons have many needs along the offensive and defensive lines but should seriously consider taking a receiver during the NFL Draft. The next head coach with the Falcons will have a heavy influence on who the receivers are.

The Atlanta Falcons have a lot of talent at wide receiver with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Russell Gage. Julio is a future Hall of Famer, Ridley is a solid number two receiver, and Gage is starting to develop with the absence of Mohamed Sanu. Christian Blake is another interesting name to keep an eye on.

Mohamed Sanu’s absence is missed from the Atlanta Falcons but a move they had to make. The Falcons received great compensation with a second-round pick from New England. The Falcons can use this extra pick in a lot of different ways.

If a talented receiver falls to the Atlanta Falcons in the second round, they should consider taking them. While the Falcons receivers are talented, they do come with some baggage. Julio Jones is thirty years old. He is still a physical freak but could start to decline at any moment.

Calvin Ridley is going to be twenty-five years old in December which is old for a second-year player. Russell Gage shows promise but the team should not plan on him being the third option at the receiver to start the season.

The Atlanta Falcons need to add a veteran receiver and rookie receiver during the 2020 offseason. They need a veteran to serve as the team’s number three option and step up if Julio or Ridley are ever out with an injury. The need to take a rookie receiver that fits the next head coach’s offensive scheme and they need to get younger at the position.

Falcons fans should not focus on the top guys but should focus on the mid-tier names. The Falcons should consider a receiver between their second pick in the second round to their fifth-round pick. Here are some names fans should keep an eye on during the draft process: DeVonta Smith from Alabama, Tyler Johnson from Minnesota, Gabriel Davis from UCF, Justin Jefferson from LSU, Kendrick Rodgers from Texas A&M, Reggie Roberson from SMU, Jeff Thomas from Miami, Aaron Fuller from Washington, and Tyrie Cleveland from Florida.

The type of receiver the Falcons take will all depend on the head coach. Luckily for the Falcons, this is a deep class for a wide receiver, so a couple of talented ones are bound to fall in the NFL Draft.