With rumors about the Atlanta Falcons trading up, here are four QBs they could be targeting
Ian Rapoport recently mentioned the Atlanta Falcons as a team that will attempt to trade up with the Chicago Bears for the first-overall pick.
Read: NFL insider says the Atlanta Falcons will make a play for first-overall selection.
The report kind of came out of left field but you can see why they might want to make the blockbuster trade. With all the chatter about Lamar Jackson, he would require a substantial financial commitment, but if you draft a quarterback in the first round then you can have him on a cheap contract for up to five years.
Hopefully, during those five precious years, you can construct a team and win a Super Bowl. It isn’t easy and many have tried, but you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. It is one of the many plans that the Falcons could have for the future.
Let’s say Atlanta uses a bunch of future picks to acquire the first-overall selection, what position would they be targeting? The most logical answer is quarterback but you could also make an argument for a pass rusher.
If they are after a quarterback, here are four quarterbacks (ranked from least to most likely) they could be targeting.
4. C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Buckeyes
In my opinion, C.J. Stroud is the least likely quarterback to be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round.
If you haven’t heard my reasoning yet then here it is, head coach Arthur Smith has always picked mobile quarterbacks when he has had his choice (e.g. Ryan Tannehill, Marcus Mariota, & Desmond Ridder). C.J. Stroud is not a mobile quarterback, he is a pocket passer.
Sure, Smith did just fine with Matt Ryan in 2021, but when he has his choice, he chooses a passer with legs. Stroud just doesn’t fit what we have seen from the Falcons’ head coach.
Nonetheless, he is a great talent who put up some ridiculous production. He certainly still has a chance to become the newest Atlanta franchise quarterback. If Smith believes in him, then he needs to draft him.
3. Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Wildcats
If C.J. Stroud wins the award as the most unlikely first-round pick for the Atlanta Falcons, then Will Levis wins the award as the scariest pick the team could make—maybe.
There is crazy talent in Levis, no doubt about it, but as we all know, talent only gets you so far in the NFL. There have been many talented players who turn into nothing. Levis screams Carson Wentz to me. While Wentz has had a great season in his career, he has turned into a quarterback who will be looking to join his fourth team in as many years.
All in all, he could be great just as easily as he could be a bust. The Falcons might be willing to take a huge risk and bet on his talent. He would be a great fit in Arthur Smith’s offense, so this seems conceivable.
2. Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Gators
Much like Levis, but possibly to a higher degree, Anthony Richardson is a crazy talent. If the Atlanta Falcons were to hit on Richardson then they could be a powerhouse for years.
Steam has been picking up about Richardson being the first-overall pick which is stunning considering his lack of production in college. It speaks to just how polarizing he is.
Trading up seven spots to draft Richardson would be a massive gamble. He has everything you would want in a quarterback, size, speed, arm strength, accuracy, explosiveness in every part of the game, etc. But lacks production and consistency. It would be an exciting but terrifying selection by Terry Fontenot.
1. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama Crimson Tide
You saw this one coming, no doubt. Bryce Young would bring a lot of excitement to the Atlanta Falcons. He has been the best quarterback in college football for a while now. He is a proven player and winner and should be the favorite to be the top pick.
It is hard to criticize any part of Young, he has everything you need. If you wanted to nitpick one thing, it is his size but there have been plenty of successful quarterbacks who aren’t six-foot-five.
If the Falcons were to pull off a trade for the top selection in the 2023 NFL Draft then this is the name you are going to hear first and foremost. He has been a target among the NFL evaluators for years now. If there is a ‘sure pick’ among the quarterback prospects, then it is this dude.
Again, Young would bring a lot of excitement and optimism to the Atlanta Falcons, but they would have to trade up to the top selection in the draft to land him.