In Ian Cunningham's first draft as a general manager, the Atlanta Falcons have a lot on the line. With just five selections in their arsenal, they don't have as much to lose as the rest of the NFL, but this new regime clearly wants to make a strong first impression and set a good foundation for the future.
With no first-round pick, the Falcons won't make their first pick until No. 48 overall, and they have enough needs where they could go any direction with that pick. It's basically like a choose your own adventure book, although most would argue the play with this pick is to draft the best player available regardless of need, even if they do have holes that need to be filled.
The NFL Draft is just about the decisions you don't make as the ones you do, and the 2026 Draft is no different. For instance, Atlanta would've been better off not sending the farm to trade up for James Pearce Jr., so if Cunningham wants to avoid any Terry Fontenot-like mistakes, this is what not to do.
The Atlanta Falcons need to avoid these mistakes to have a successful 2026 NFL Draft
Drafting any receiver at 48
The 2026 wide receiver class is heralded as the deepest area in this draft class. Five or six wideouts are expected to go on Day 1, but the Day 2 receivers are a pretty strong group. However, the difference between taking one at 48 compared to 79 isn't all that different from a value standpoint.
Guys like Germie Bernard and Zachariah Branch have been floated as possibilites at 48 (but could also drop to 79), but that doesn't make sense. Odds are DT or CB will present better value in Round 2, especially if they take a Round 3 wideout like Ted Hurst, De'Zhaun Stribling, or Bryce Lance at Pick 79.
Atlanta needs a running mate next to Drake London who will do all of the things he won't. Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheus are not long-term fixes either, so unless someone like KC Concepcion drops (which isn't happening), the Falcons have no business drafting a WR with their very first pick.
Failing to address the secondary
While other needs have threatened to overshadow it, one of the biggest needs on this roster is in the secondary. Behind A.J. Terrell, the Falcons have no corner depth. Mike Hughes is their CB2, an injured Billy Bowman Jr. is the starting nickel, and their only CB addition of free agency was Darnay Holmes.
So you'd think that adding some cornerback depth would be a priority for this front office. Try again. They seem to be pretty content with the DBs right now, but they shouldn't be. Hughes was awful in 2025 after going down with an injury, and betting on Bowman as your long-tem nickel is just foolish.
Whether it's someone like Avieon Terrell or Brandon Cisse at 48, Daylen Everette or Davison Igbinosun at 79, or someone like Julian Neal, Tacario Davis, or Will Lee III on Day 3, the Falcons cannot leave this draft without their long-term CB2 next to Terrell. Hopefully it's a two-Terrell CB room.
Not taking advantage of the sellers market
It's no secret that the 2026 NFL Draft is being looked at as one of the more trade-heavy drafts in recent memory. But not only that, it's being looked at as a sellers market, where teams are looking to trade down, but there should be enough teams willing to move up to keep the weekend interesting.
The Falcons fall in the category of the former. With five picks, if they aren't a fan of the value on the board, or someone comes calling with an offer that's too good to pass up, you move down. And the more Atlanta moves down, the higher the likelihood that they can add to that 2026 draft pick number.
Cunningham has preached wanting to add draft capital all offseason, so having five right now is a travesty. So hopefully he puts his money where his mouth is and is able to move down once or twice.
Add us as a preferred source on Google