Now that the Atlanta Falcons have officially found their new assistant GM in Jeff Scott, Ian Cunningham is going full steam ahead to kick off NFL Draft month. The Falcons have their compete new regime set in stone, and their timing couldn't be better with the draft roughly three weeks away.
Like Cunningham, Scott spent time learning under Howie Roseman in Philadelphia, and that could play a role in Atlanta's own draft approach. Defensive tackle is one of the biggest unfulfilled needs on the roster, and their shared approach from Roseman could help shape the Falcons' plan at pick 48.
The Dirty Birds could look at players like Caleb Banks and Lee Hunter in the second round, but the problem is that positions like wide receiver and cornerback could complicate things. The Falcons have a lot of needs on the roster, but the start of any good Super Bowl model is fixing the trenches.
Expect the Atlanta Falcons to attack the trenches early in the 2026 NFL Draft after hiring Jeff Scott
Scott scouted Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter with the Eagles and they both became superstars, so why would Atlanta not want to take a chance on an athletic freak like Banks or Hunter if available? They need to improve in defending the run, so drafting a 1-technique DT is a good starting point.
Brandon Dorlus and Ruke Orhorhoro are the only defensive tackles the Falcons have under contract beyond 2026 and Zach Harrison is a popular trade candidate, so they'll have to address their DT woes with one of their five selections in 2026. The big question that remains is how early they will do so.
Even edge rusher could be in play after James Pearce Jr.'s arrest because Azeez Ojulari and Samson Ebukam were signed to one-year deals, and they're only rotational pass-rushers. They need upside opposite Jalon Walker, but utilizing the depth of this edge-rushing class would make more sense.
But Cunningham played offensive line, and with Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary on the wrong side of 30, sone long-term stability at offensive tackle could be in play. McGary also missed all of 2025 due to injury, so ushering someone in to be his eventual successor is a chess move Roseman's made before.
The Eagles' Super Bowl model saw them boast an elite offensive line, while their defensive line was one of the NFL's deepest units. Cunningham even admitted in his first presser he would take a page or so out of Roseman's playbook, and hiring Scott proves he wants to run the Falcons like the Eagles.
For as tempting as WR or CB might be, Cunningham and Scott better get started on bolstering the trenches if they want to employ a strategy their mentor proved to be successful.