Falcons Rumors: 4 replacements for Desmond Ridder to save Atlanta's future
By Ryan Heckman
3. Drake Maye via 2024 NFL Draft
If the Falcons were able to trade into the top 3-5 picks in next year's draft, the second-best option next to Caleb Williams is North Carolina's Drake May. He's widely regarded as the second-best quarterback in the 2024 class, and he'd be as close to a sure bet for the future of this franchise as Atlanta would find.
To give some perspective, outside of Williams going number one, you're looking at a top five prospect list most likely including wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Ohio State, tight end Brock Bowers out of Georgia, offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu out of Penn State, along with Maye.
Maye stands 6-foot-4 and has prototypical size for the position. Last season, he threw for a whopping 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and just seven picks. So far in 2023, Maye has gone for 1,187 yards, five touchdowns and four picks. He's been a little less impressive, overall, but has plenty of time to continue solidifying his draft stock between now and April.