Falcons Poised to Make Huge Move in NFL Draft

The Atlanta Falcons have been in a bit of a rut since letting a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl 51 get away from them. They have had two straight 7-9 campaigns and have been killed by the injury bug. To make it worse, they lost some of their key starters, like Austin Hooper, Vic Beasley, and Desmond Trufant in free agency due to their poor cap situation.

It seems like the only way the Falcons think they can return to their former glory in 2020 is to make a splash in the draft. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Falcons are "poised" to make a move to move up in the draft, something he believes that other teams in the league are also projecting.

One team that appears poised to make some noise with a move up is the #Falcons. They have spent a lot of times evaluating and talking to players who figure to be gone by No. 16… and when other teams do their projections, they believe Atlanta will be on the move.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2020

The Falcons currently own the 16th pick of the draft, but have apparently spent a lot of time scouting players who will be gone by the time they pick, leading many to believe they've focused on leaping forward.

The Dirty Birds have a stacked offense on paper, with over 10 former first-round picks, but their defense is in need of an impact player. Even with the addition of Dante Fowler, Atlanta has gaping holes at all three levels of their defense.

GM Thomas Dimitroff famously sent a huge package of picks (including a future first rounder) for Julio Jones in 2011, and a move this year may not be as dramatic. But they are a team to watch. https://t.co/hfTwi7qlaa
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2020

If the Falcons were to trade up, one would think they would select an impact corner, or one of many strong defenders. They need to find a replacement for Desmond Trufant, and Atlanta may be eyeing prospects like Ohio State's Jeff Okudah and Florida's CJ Henderson. South Carolina pass-rush standout Javon Kinlaw could also be a logical target.

Even though Atlanta has been the definition of average the past two seasons, a trade to acquire an impact draft prospect may change all of that. If they can add a star to their defense, they could be once again relevant in the NFC South.