As it stands currently, the Atlanta Falcons have just five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Of those five picks, three of them come on Day 3, so Ian Cunningham better start familiarizing himself with some Saturday sleepers before the Falcons risk coming away from his first draft with zero impact players.
The final day of the draft is where front offices truly prove their chops, and the development of those players is where teams win Super Bowls. That's a concept Cunningham should know full well after spending time with two different Super Bowl-winning organizations in the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles.
It's easy for a fan to talk a big game about what a GM is doing, but actually doing it is a whole nother story. I doubt that Cunningham or Kevin Stefanski are reading my articles on Blogging Dirty on a consistent basis, but if they are, they better look closely at these potential gems on Day 3 of the draft.
3 Day 3 players the Atlanta Falcons need to have highlighted on their draft board
Cincinnati TE Joe Royer
I know what you're probably thinking: the Falcons already have have Kyle Pitts and Charlie Woerner and just signed Austin Hooper, we don't need any more tight ends. However, Pitts' future in Atlanta is still up in the air despite signing the franchise tag, and there's a shot he gets traded sometime soon.
This is where Joe Royer comes in. The 24-year-old scored seven TDs in the last two years with the Bearcats and averaged over 14 yards per catch without dropping a pass in 2025. His hands are the hallmark of his game, and is solid after the catch, so perhaps he can be Atlanta's long-term TE2.
So as a rising Day 3 target, Royer is worth taking a flier on despite his struggles as a run blocker, since we know Stefanski loves his tight ends.
Georgia Tech CB Ahmari Harvey
The Falcons apparently don't see cornerback as much of a need as the fanbase does, but that doesn't mean that they'll ignore the position entirely. That just means that positions like receiver and defensive tackle will take precedent, so Cunningham will have to look in the value bin to address CB.
And that's precisely why the name on this list is a local star in Georgia Tech's Ahmari Harvey. Not only has Atlanta conducted four workouts with Harvey, he allowed the second-lowest catch percentage (45.5%) of all ACC cornerbacks in 2025, so he would be a solid depth add to the cornerback room.
The only concern with Harvey is his lack of size, but his physicality is exactly what Jeff Ulbrich looks for in a cornerback.
Missouri WR Kevin Coleman Jr.
At this point, you probably picked up on a trend: the Falcons have conducted 30 visits with all three of these players, but of the three on this list, Kevin Coleman Jr. is the least likely to last to Day 3. However, with how deep the 2026 WR class is, that could have an adverse affect on his draft stock.
Coleman is a speedster who will fill the field-stretching vertical threat role the Dirty Birds are looking for, as he is one of the better big-play threats in this draft. The Senior Bowl standout could be Atlanta's slot receiver of the future while playing a role in the return game, which is a major plus.
If the Falcons pass on someone like Bryce Lance, Ted Hurst, or Deion Burks on Day 2, Coleman would offer them fantastic value in Round 4 or 5.