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Atlanta Falcons: Three potential players to select in the 2021 NFL Draft

By Joe Carlino

Jan 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Najee Harris (22) runs the ball against Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Pete Werner (20) during the third quarter in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Najee Harris (22) runs the ball against Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Pete Werner (20) during the third quarter in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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BOCA RATON, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 22: Zach Wilson #1 of the Brigham Young Cougars runs with the ball against the Central Florida Knights at FAU Stadium on December 22, 2020 in Boca Raton, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

QB Zach Wilson

This one is tough, but something Atlanta Falcons fans and the organization has to consider.

Matt Ryan’s going to be 36 years old by the start of the year, and he just lost his trusted backup, Matt Schaub, to a much-earned retirement. Because of that, the current QB roster would stand to be Ryan and UDFA Kurt Benkert.

So wouldn’t it make sense to address this position now?

In short, the answer is yes.

That said, it’s no secret the quarterback position is so coveted nowadays, which means teams are under more pressure to get the future signal-caller sooner rather than later.

Zach Wilson’s an interesting prospect for the team to consider. For starters, Wilson comes from a very reputable university in terms of NFL talent, most notably Jim McMahon and Steve Young.

In Wilson’s three years as a Cougar, the most impressive stat is his touchdown-to-interception ratio. In his 837 passing attempts under center, only 15 of those were picked off. This demonstrates an ability to protect the football, and if Aaron Rodgers’ career says anything, Wilson doing this in college is a huge plus.

Given that Ryan’s contract is hard to get out of this year, if Atlanta does decide to pull the trigger on Wilson, he could sit behind Ryan in 2021, learn the new system Arthur Smith plans to install and be ready for when the team decides to put him in the starting lineup.