How the Atlanta Falcons could steal the 2021 NFL Draft

The Atlanta Falcons hold the keys to the 2021 NFL Draft and the truth is that they could come away as big-time winners if they played their cards right.

The Falcons are set to pick with the No. 4 overall selection in the draft and everyone knows what the first three teams are going to do: They’re taking quarterbacks.

The Falcons are expected to be the first team on-the-clock looking to take a player who is not a quarterback. So, what might they do?

How the Atlanta Falcons could absolutely steal the 2021 NFL Draft

If the Falcons are sold out to winning now and putting playmakers around Matt Ryan who can make a difference immediately, there’s only one thing to do: You’ve got to make a trade in the first-round.

Are we talking about trading that valuable No. 4 overall pick? Maybe not.

The consensus just a month ago was that a guy like TE Kyle Pitts would be available later inside the top-10, but that might not be the case now. As a matter of fact, many NFL insiders are beginning to peg him as the first non-quarterback to come off the board.

No, what we’re talking about is finding a way to score another first-round pick in addition to that No. 4 pick. If the Falcons can trade back and still get Pitts, or another playmaker like Ja’Marr Chase, they need to do it. But if they can’t, we present this scenario:

What if the Falcons took Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick and then used their early-second round pick to leverage another first-round pick later in the draft? 

Giving up some draft capital in the mid-rounds and possibly early rounds for the next season is a small price to pay to get another first-rounder this year. Maybe the Falcons can move up into the 20s and select an impact defender like Gregory Rousseau? Maybe they go ahead and get their running back in Najee Harris or Travis Etienne?

Trading up just those few spots- somewhere between 5-10 positions- could be the difference between drafting two-straight starters or coming away with a dud.

What about this kind of haul? The Falcons get TE Kyle Pitts and DE Gregory Rousseau in the first-round. Then, they pick up OSU RB Trey Sermon in the third-round. You’d be talking about three legitimate starters and immediate impact players in your first three picks. That’s how you get the job done.

The Atlanta Falcons have a lot of important decisions to make in the coming weeks, but trading back up into the latter part of the first-round could prove to be the difference for the franchise.