Falcons 7-Round Mock Draft: One QB, two trades, Three front-seven players
The Arizona Cardinals trade back into the top 10
Falcons Trade 8th Overall Pick
1.11. 2156. Falcons Pick Quinyon Mitchell. . . CB | Toledo. Quinyon Mitchell. . Quinyon Mitchell. player
The Arizona Cardinals, who originally owned the 4th overall pick, traded back with the Minnesota Vikings who bundled the 11th and 23rd picks in round 1 along with other compensation to move up to 4th overall and select QB JJ McCarthy to replace now-Falcons QB Kirk Cousins. In doing so, the Cardinals miss out on both Marvin Harrison Jr (5th overall to the Chargers) and Malik Nabers (6th overall to the Giants) so they trade back into the top 10 to take Rome Odunze before the Bears or Jets get the chance.
The Falcons, meanwhile, are more than content moving back three spots, despite having the choice between Rome Odunze and Dallas Turner. Because of this willingness to move back, Atlanta adds trade value (giving up 1,946 draft points and receiving 1,956.6 points in return according to Drafttek.com’s value calculator) for only moving down three spots. The Falcons still get to take one of the top players on their board but also add a 1st-round pick and 5th-round pick while giving up only a 2nd-round pick and a 4th-round pick.
“With the eleventh pick of the 2024 Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select; Quinyon Mitchell, cornerback, Toledo.” For the eleventh time in thirty-two that night, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will take the stage to get a picture with a rookie. As Goodell smiles at the camera, so does Quinyon Mitchell, proudly donning a red and black jersey.
The Falcons entered the draft with an edge rusher, a corner, and a receiver as primary needs. After sending the 8th overall selection to Arizona, the Falcons cross the first of those three needs off the list. Quinyon Mitchell is an athletic specimen who turned heads throughout the offseason. At the Senior Bowl, Mitchell wowed scouts and analysts with his proficiency in press coverage. At Toledo, Mitchell played almost exclusively zone, something the Falcons' new defensive scheme tends to do, so zone was never a question for Mitchell. His question marks were with his physicality at the line. Questions Mitchell answered in style over the week in Mobile this winter. Now, Mitchell joins a secondary with names like Jessie Bates, AJ Terrell, and Clark Phillips. All of a sudden, Atlanta has gone from a team desperately needing a CB2 to a team with one of the best secondaries in the NFL.
Falcons trade 27th Overall
Despite adding an additional first-round pick this year, Atlanta trades back out of the first round, securing a 2nd-round pick, 4th-round pick, and 2025 2nd-round pick in exchange for 27th overall and safety Richie Grant. Richie Grant gets a new start as the Patriots trade up into the first to select a receiver ahead of the Bills, Ravens, 49ers, Chiefs, and Panthers.
On the opposite end of the trade, the Falcons gained a 2nd-round pick nine spots ahead of their initial second-rounder, a 4th-round pick six spots ahead of their original fourth-rounder, and a 2nd-round pick for next year in anticipation of a potential loss of a draft pick from the Kirk Cousins tampering investigation. Between the two trades, the Falcons give away 2,626 draft value points and Richie Grant in exchange for 2,604.6 draft value points plus a 2025 second-round pick. With the players available not deemed worth taking at 27th overall, the Falcons plan for the future while still coming out ahead in draft positioning.