Ten Realistic 2024 NFL Draft Targets for the Atlanta Falcons

Quarterbacks: Michael Penix Jr., Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy

The Atlanta Falcons need to upgrade at the quarterback position if they want to be considered playoff contenders next year. There are a few options in the free agency and trade market, but the only one who could inspire any type of confidence is Justin Fields. The Chicago Bears quarterback has been raising his stock over the past few weeks though and could end up being outside the Falcons’ range unless they truly believe he’s a franchise quarterback.

Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are going to be outside the team’s range, so they’ll likely look into secondary options including Penix Jr., Daniels, and McCarthy. The only one who truly feels like a first-round lock is Daniels, and even that may involve trading up in the first round based on how the first few picks go.

Penix Jr. has dealt with numerous injury issues throughout his college career but could be an option for the team in the early second round. He possesses a strong deep-ball and ball placement which should help Atlanta utilize Kyle Pitts and Drake London in a more consistent way. If he’s still available when the Falcons’ second pick comes up, they should take a chance on him.

The biggest wild card of the three quarterbacks is McCarthy who’s currently aiming to bring Michigan a National Championship. There’s always a chance he decides to return to school, but if he doesn’t, it’s hard to gauge where he ends up going in the draft. He is a bit undersized, could struggle adjusting to NFL defenses, and has dealt with accuracy issues.

Overall, the best bet could be for the Falcons to jump on Daniels if he’s available with their first pick and then use the rest of their draft picks to continue building an offense around him.