The Falcons need to draft one of these two receivers
The Atlanta Falcons are in need of receiver help, that is quite obvious when you look at their roster.
Even if they elect to sign a couple guys, they need to find more help when it comes to the position, specifically a big-bodied receiver that can go up and get the football, someone who can physically dominate opponents the way that Julio Jones once did.
The Falcons need to draft Justyn Ross or George Pickens
There are two receivers that stick out when looking for a physically dominant receiver for the Atlanta Falcons skill position and they both come out of big-time colleges—Justyn Ross out of Clemson and George Pickens out of Georgia.
Let’s start with Justyn Ross from Clemson. One thing that you can classify as a similarity with these two receivers—besides their size—is the fact that they have an injury history. This is more so a problem with Ross.
Justyn Ross has a spinal issue that teams will have to clear with 100% certainty before they draft him, but assuming you are getting a healthy Justyn Ross, there might not be a more physically gifted player.
He stands at six-foot-four and weighs in at around 200 pounds. That is a perfect body type for an NFL receiver. You could possibly compare him to two former Clemson receivers—Deandre Hopkins and Mike Williams.
If the Falcons take him and get anything like what Hopkins and Williams give to their team, they will not regret taking the risk for one second. Ross also has some exceptional ball skills that were in full display in the National Championship against Alabama.
Next up is George Pickens, who tore his ACL last spring and never looked the same in the few games he did play later in the year, despite making a couple big catches for the Bulldogs.
Out of these two receivers, Pickens might be the safer of the two because of Justyn’s spinal issues, so that is a definite plus for him.
He can also be a physically dominant receiver as he stands at six-foot-three and is 200 pounds as well.
His upside might not be quite as high as Ross’, but that does not mean he cannot be elite in the NFL. He is physically talented and has shown that in college, especially during his first season in Georgia.
Either one of these receivers should be welcomed to Atlanta, provided that they pass all medical checkups, they can both bring a much-needed element to the Atlanta Falcons passing attack. The good news is that they should be available in the second or third rounds of the draft.