The Atlanta Falcons have plenty of options at running back thanks to the NFL Draft

The NFL Draft class is loaded with talented running backs, giving the Atlanta Falcons plenty of options to find Devonta Freeman’s successor.

Devonta Freeman has had an up and down career with the Atlanta Falcons. He started out strong and showed signs of being the team’s franchise running back for the next decade. Unfortunately for both Freeman and the Atlanta Falcons, the injury bug bit him.

Freeman didn’t look like himself last season and has dealt with multiple injuries in the last couple of years. It is sad and unfortunate, but it would ultimately be the smart decision to let Freeman go. The Atlanta Falcons need elite and fresh legs and Freeman has neither.

Talks have been ramping up over the last several days regarding Ohio State running back J.K Dobbins possibly landing with the Atlanta Falcons. Blogging Dirty site expert Jeff Benedict predicted in his NFL Mock Draft that the Atlanta Falcons could potentially land Dobbins in the second round.

This would be a great pick for the Atlanta Falcons. Dobbins was arguably the best running back in the college football over his career with the Buckeyes. Dobbins recorded an eye-opening 21 touchdowns in his final season and ran for over 2,000 yards. These numbers are remarkable and should ensure Dobbins becomes a first or second-round draft pick.

If Dobbins does not become an Atlanta Falcon, there are still plenty of options. Georgia Bulldog D’Andre Swift and Wisconsin Badger Jonathan Taylor would both be popular options as well, given their natural talent and very successful collegiate careers. Both guys were important pieces to their respective offenses and would add plenty of speed and agility to the Atlanta Falcons roster.

A natural fit for the Atlanta Falcons’ offense could be former LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Edwards-Helaire proved at LSU that he was not only a great runner but a valuable option in the passing game. He finished with 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2019 for the Tigers, while also catching 55 passes for 453 yards and a touchdown.

For an offense that threw the ball a staggering 67 percent of the time in 2019 and likes to get the running back involved in the passing game, a pass-catching running back like Edwards-Helaire would be a dream come true for Dirk Koetter.

Sports Illustrated also recently reported that the Atlanta Falcons were showing a strong interest in Florida State running back Cam Akers. Akers was one of the very few bright spots on a Seminoles team that has struggled for the last three seasons now in the post-Jameis Winston era of Florida State football.

Anyone of these guys would be a great addition to the Atlanta Falcons young core of running backs that already includes Ito Smith, Qadree Ollison, and Brian Hill. With fresh legs at running back, the Atlanta Falcons offense should become more versatile and balanced with the help of a newly drafted young stud.