For the teams that miss out on the NFL Playoffs, the draft tends to provide solace. There’s nothing like nailing a first-round pick to feel better about your franchise future.
Well, the Atlanta Falcons won’t have that chance this year. An aggressive strategy last offseason shipped out their 2026 FRP. In hindsight, the front office probably wishes it could hit the undo button on that deal, especially after finishing 8-9 to miss out on the playoffs.
Even without what would’ve been a top-10 pick, there’s still some hope for the franchise. Head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Ian Cuningham are both fresh faces in Atlanta, which cleaned house and now looks to compete in a wide-open NFC South. The team’s first pick may not come until the second round, but there are clear avenues to improvement and the group was competitive last year as well.
Here are the details you need to know about the Falcons’ draft capital before they’re on the clock this Thursday, plus a prediction and pick for the first round.
Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL Draft picks
- Round 2 — 48th overall
- Round 3 — 79th overall
- Round 4 — 122nd overall
- Round 6 — 215th overall
- Round 7 — 231st overall
Atlanta Falcons team needs
The Falcons have plenty of quality pieces on their roster, especially on offense. Bijan Robinson is the best halfback in football and Drake London entered the upper echelon of wideouts over the last couple of seasons. Coupled with Kyle Pitts, who will play on the franchise tag this season, there’s plenty for reason for optimism in regards to this attack — so long as one of Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. work out as a serviceable starting quarterback. The offensive line remains mostly intact as well, though right tackle Kaleb McGary did retire from the sport this offseason. That position brings a longer-term need about, even though Atlanta signed a temporary replacement in free agency.
Defensively, there are key pieces like Jessie Bates III and A.J. Terrell who bring star power in the secondary. While not a lockdown unit, the Falcons actually ranked in the league’s top half against the pass last year and tied for the fifth-most interceptions with 16, so there’s not a shortage of ball hawks here. The front seven could use some work, though, especially after giving up the ninth-most rushing yards last season. With that in mind, adding talent at linebacker or defensive tackle should be a priority for this front office.
Atlanta won’t pick until roughly midway through the second round, with its first selection falling at No. 48 overall. That doesn’t feel great, and as mentioned earlier, the front office probably wishes it can take back the trade they made with the Los Angeles Rams around this time last year (and for a multitude of reasons, at that).
When the Falcons do land on the clock, they’ll have a handful of options. Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft has a tun of two linebackers and a defensive tackle all going between picks 46-48, including Texas Tech standouts Jacob Rodriguez and Lee Hunter as well as Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. Any of the three would be smash picks in this spot — especially Rodriguez, who served as the heart and soul of an impressive Red Raiders defense this past year. He’s a popular pick in this range, though Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller is another name who also stands out and could be picked somewhere around this spot.
The fun part here is that the Falcons have clear needs and it’s more likely than not that they address one of these two positions. Yes, wideout is another weak point beyond London, but with Pitts still in the mix and the signings of Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus, it’s possible the team sticks to the clearest needs and banks on the offensive talent it already has ascending futher.
