it is no secret that the Atlanta Falcons are trapped in a disadvantageous situation in the 2026 NFL Draft. They traded away their first-round pick last year to land near-Defensive Rookie of the Year winner James Pearce Jr., who was then arrested.
They are also without a fifth-round pick, giving them five total selections. Nevertheless, teams are built on mid-to-late-round picks. Plenty of future superstars will be drafted around the time the Falcons are 'on the clock' -- hopefully, when they are 'on the clock.'
Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker identified two of those players they would love to see the Dirty Birds land in Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood and Texas Tech star linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
No one would be surprised to see the Falcons select a cornerback. A.J. Terrell is clearly the No. 1 and one of the league's best. But they could find an upgrade on the opposite side. However, selecting a linebacker would mean one thing that no fan wants to think about: Kaden Elliss' departure.
Falcons cannot focus on the draft to bolster their linebacker position
Nothing is more frustrating than having a fix to a problem sitting right there but going a different direction. That would be the situation if Ian Cunningham lets Elliss walk in free agency. While the free agent linebacker will demand a decent contract, his importance is well worth the price.
While Rodriguez was a top-five finisher in Heisman voting last season, the likelihood that he becomes the player Elliss is, is slim-to-none. Those are the facts. Jeff Ulbrich has made it clear that he wants his defensive leader back. Losing him would require an unnecessary adjustment.
You also have to look at the facts of the draft: the Falcons have limited selections and cannot waste any of them. They target a receiver or two, Kyle Pitts' possible replacement, cornerbacks, and more defensive line depth. Using a pick on Elliss' replacement would be a waste.
All that said, if push comes to shove, Rodriguez is an excellent talent. As PFF mentions, his run and coverage grades were over 90. He finished his final season at Texas Tech with 128 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, four interceptions, and a sack.
Those aren't similar stats to those you see from Elliss, minus the tackle production. Elliss gets to the quarterback more often, but he has only two forced fumbles in his career. As great as the Red Raider linebacker could be, hopefully he isn't in consideration for the Falcons when they're on the clock.