Even though the 2024 NFL Draft is over, it’s still a good idea to analyse every selection made by teams like the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons added eight new players to their roster for the 2024 season overall as they left Detroit, Michigan, the site of this year’s draft. That’s the eight players that Raheem Morris, the new head coach, and general manager Terry Fontenot decided were the best available to create the best team going forward. There are others who doubt if Fontenot and Morris could have combined for a better eight. After what these two did in the 2024 NFL Draft after only the first round, their decision-making was immediately scrutinised. But surely, it can’t be all bad? Something positive has to come from all of this. We’ll examine three of the Falcons’ top draft selections in this post. drafting No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr.You did really read correctly. This is the most confusing and divisive draft choice in the event’s history, if not ever. Despite having written about it in almost every manner conceivable, I’m still not entirely sure which side of the argument I support. Penix is the Falcons’ 2024 NFL Draft selection that is both the best and the worst choice at the same time. The Falcons could have selected someone else to help them become a contender; therefore, it makes sense that they were the worst pick—they didn’t need Penix. After Atlanta signed free agency Kirk Cousins, they were essentially free to do as they pleased and take care of any needs they thought were unmet. Still, they selected a quarterback in the draft to support Cousins. Furthermore, Cousins signed with the Falcons ostensibly because they would not pursue a quarterback in the draft, contrary to what his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, had made clear. Even though it seems absurd at first, Fontenot and Morris’s courage to look ahead and even hedge their bets on the future cannot be overlooked. QB play is a major factor in the NFL’s success. The Falcons would not have known that at all during the past 25 years if it weren’t for Matt Ryan. They haven’t known it for a while. We are free to speculate as much as we like about this Falcons move. However, the reality is that it’s unparalleled and has no precedent for its degree of success. Because of Penix’s extensive college experience, Atlanta should benefit from this trade, as he may be needed at any time. The previous season saw several injuries to leading quarterbacks throughout the league, and Cousins—who will be 36 at the beginning of the campaign—just recovered from a serious Achilles injury. selecting an edge rusher in the draft Bralen Trice, overall No. 74 Clearly, the Penix selection had a significant influence on each subsequent pick the Falcons made. Atlanta made the decision to select the path they did because they were expected to select one of the skilled pass rushers in the first round—Dallas Turner, Laiatu Latu, or another. Even so, given that they have avoided pass rushes in the previous few drafts, it remained the case that they required some assistance. They didn’t choose Washington’s Bralen Trice until the third round. The Falcons selected Trice in the third round, which makes him noteworthy. They kind of had the luxury to do so, though, because it was also their second third-round selection. This is also a wise decision because there is some familiarity with the new coaching staff. When Trice was hired by Washington, Jimmy Lake, the new defensive coordinator, was the head coach, according to ESPN. It will benefit both sides to assist in implementing a new defensive scheme while maintaining some familiarity. Reaching the fourth round with Brandon Dorlus It seems like detractors didn’t realise how good the Falcons were in the draft until they selected in the fourth round. The majority of draft experts, including those at Pro Football Focus, think that Oregon defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus was one of the better values available during the draft. Although Dorlus was listed by PFF as a Day 2 prospect, the former Duck provided a “tonne of juice as a pass rusher.” He recorded five sacks, the most on the team, eleven quarterback hits, 46 total pressures, and a pass-rush grade of 75.7 in his final season in Eugene. The Falcons might become formidable up front in the future if they add Dorlus to the line alongside Trice, along with their other draft picks and the already gifted Grady Jarrett.
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