It hasn't taken very long for Atlanta Falcons fans to learn exactly where Ian Cunningham got his GM philosophy from. It didn't come from Ozzie Newsome or Ryan Poles, it came from his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he worked closely (and clearly learned from) Eagles' GM Howie Roseman.
Roseman is heralded among the best general managers in the NFL because he turned the Eagles into one of the biggest powerhouses in the NFL during his 16 seasons on the job. He led them to two Super Bowls and has worked alongside several future GMs, including Cunningham himself, in Philly.
One of the things the 50-year-old does best at is as a talent evaluator. He enjoys such consistent success in the NFL Draft by always drafting the best player available regardless of need, but also has an affinity for drafting players from winning college programs, most notably the University of Georgia.
By the looks of it, Roseman's draft approach is that something that Cunningham has taken with him to Atlanta. The Falcons are also taking a close look at the school down the road, as during Georgia's Pro Day on Wednesday, the Dirty Birds reportedly sent over 30 members of the organization to Athens.
If the Atlanta Falcons draft enough Georgia prospects, Ian Cunningham could become a Howie Roseman clone
That conglomerate includes Cunningham, Kevin Stefanski, president of football Matt Ryan, DL coach Nate Ollie, RBs coach Nate, Ollie and WR's coach Robert Prince, and many others. Prince will likely be taking a closer look at Bulldogs' receiver Zachariah Branch after he lit up the combine with his blazing speed. But he's not the only one under the microscope.
In this draft, there's C.J. Allen and Christen Miller who are the creme de la creme for Georgia on defense, while Daylen Everette could be a solid sleeper the Falcons look at for their CB needs. But in a surprise twist, the Bulldogs' best draft prospect is on offense in offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.
Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has been a breeding grounds for elite defensive talent. Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, and Kamari Lassiter are among the biggest names, and Roseman drafted three of those four players. And he drafted guys like Nolan Smith and Kelee Ringo as well, so even though 2026 is a down year for Georgia's defensive talent, they still come with intrigue.
In just one offseason as Atlanta's GM, the similarities are already striking, as the Falcons have signed two former Georgia stars in free agency, and I'm sure someone like Oscar Delp could be in play as a depth option at tight end behind Kyle Pitts, especially if he falls well into Day 3 like he's projected to.
Let's be real here for a second. Virtually every franchise in the NFL is heavily scouting Georgia players, so this isn't particularly an unprecedented strategy that Roseman invented and passed down to Cunningham. He's just the general manager whose enjoyed the most success drafting UGA guys.
The 40-year-old spent five seasons learning under Roseman in Philadelphia, so he definitely picked up a trick or two. He even said in his opening presser that his approach planned to emulate the Eagles' draft approach that has worked out well, so I'm sure the Georgia guys could be a part of that.