NFL Draft tracker: Grading every Atlanta Falcons pick and trade
The Falcons shocked the world with Michael Penix at No. 8 overall.
Round 5, No. 143 overall: LB J.D. Bertrand, Notre Dame
The Atlanta Falcons needed depth at linebacker and addressed that with J.D. Bertrand, an Atlanta-area native who played for Notre Dame. He’s a solid linebacker for depth, but he won’t be expected to contribute on defense during his rookie season barring injuries. Bertrand adds to the depth behind Troy Andersen, Nate Landman, and Kaden Elliss. The Falcons had nothing but undrafted free agents who hadn’t played much behind those three. The value just feels a little early for him.