Projecting the Atlanta Falcons pre-NFL Draft depth chart
Wide Receiver
- LWR: 1-Julio Jones, 2- Christian Blake
- RWR: 1- Calvin Ridley, 2-Olamide Zacchaeus
- SLWR 1- Russell Gage, 2-Greg Dortch
Some fans could make the case for the Falcons having better depth at WR but I like what the Falcons have outside of the two superstars in Jones and Ridley.
Calvin Ridley caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards and 9-touchdowns as he continues to progress towards being one of the league’s best pass catchers. Julio Jones only played in nine games as health ended his streak of six straight 1,300 yard seasons but Atlanta enters 2021 with the top duo in the National Football League.
Russell Gage assumed a big role in the slot, recording 72 receptions on 110 targets for 786-yards and seven touchdowns.
The two deep doesn’t feature a ton of production as the number two pass catchers on this projection combined for only 36 receptions a season ago, with Greg Dortch being on the practice squad.
Dortch has good hands, is quick, shifty, and will find his way into the rotation along with Christian Blake and Olamide Zacchaeus.
The former undrafted Zacchaeus was a stud at Virginia as their premier go-to target and he even recorded 100+ yards in a game vs the Broncos a season ago and he will continue to grow and evolve into a healthier role for the Falcons, making the potential of them drafting a receiver quite low.
Position Grade: A
Tight End:
- 1- Hayden Hurst
- 2- Lee Smith
- 3- Jaeden Graham
For the second straight off-season, the Atlanta Falcons traded for a tight end, with this year’s addition, Lee Smith backing up last year’s addition in Hayden Hurst.
Hurst was a reliable target for Matt Ryan last season as his 56 receptions ranked 11th among tight ends along with 571-yards and six scores. The Falcons didn’t get much out of their other tight ends a season ago but neither do many other teams.
Lee Smith has played in the league for a decade and being brought in helps them in the trenches as an extra blocker.