Finding players like Jake Matthews is incredibly difficult to do in the modern NFL. He was never elite, but was always a quality left tackle for the Atlanta Falcons, and that level of stability he's provided is especially important in the trenches for a team that wants to play smash-mouth physical football.
The ultimate ironman, Matthews made history on Sunday, starting his 200th consecutive game in the overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens--making him just the fifth OL in NFL history to reach that milestone. The last time he missed a game was in Week 2 of his rookie season which was 12 years ago already. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.
Unfortunately, it's become apparent that the veteran's time has come. All season long he's regressed to the point he's been a turnstile in pass protection, which came to a head in Week 5. The Ravens didn't even have Trey Hendrickson out there, yet he still allowed three pressures to his backup, second-year EDGE Mike Green and dropped a wide-open touchdown on a well-designed trick play.
The 34-year-old got his milestone night, so now it's time to start kicking the tires on finding a new left tackle for the next decade-plus. And rather than use their 2027 first-round pick to replace Michael Penix Jr. under center., they should use it to keep Penix protected and bring in Matthews' successor.
The Atlanta Falcons need to draft Jake Matthews' successor in the 2027 Draft
The good news for the Falcons is that the 2027 tackle class is loaded. At the top is LSU's Jordan Seaton and Texas' Trevor Goosby, whom Atlanta would likely have to be picking top 10 to land--and this team probably isn't bad enough for either of them. But they're still players to do homework on.
We also need to consider which tackles would be the right fit for Bill Callahan's system. We all know Atlanta wants to pound the rock and dominate the line of scrimmage, which means you meed a mauler who can be better than Matthews as a run blocker (low bar) and now stuck in quicksand in pass-protection.
Behind Seaton and Goosby, the next-best option is Indiana tackle Carter Smith, who has only allowed nine pressures across 483 protection snaps. He's a solid run blocker, good in pass-protection, and is the anchor of one of the best offensive lines in the nation--which is a large part of why the Hoosiers are top 20 in rushing yards per game.
Then from there, Miami's Samson Okunlola (6-foot-6, 360 pounds) and USC's Elijah Paige (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) would be good fits for the Dirty Birds, though Paige needs to improve as a run defender. But both of these players could be moldable pieces of clay for a Falcons OL that needs a long-term option at left tackle.
All of these options would give the Falcons a little more to work with long-term, since Father Time is clearly catching up to Matthews. This isn't to say Falcons fans don't appreciate Jake Matthews, but the fact of the matter is that with a milestone night in the books, it's becoming time to start thinking about possible successors at left tackle--especially since they can get out of his contract after 2026.
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