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<\/a><\/p>\nTRADE \u2014 Round 2, Pick 63: WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia<\/p>\n
The Falcons trade pick 48 to the Patriots for picks 63 (2nd), 95 (3rd), and 131 (4th).<\/p>\n
Ian Cunningham is calling the shots now, and the Falcons open their first draft with a massive change in approach. The Patriots come calling in pursuit of a falling offensive tackle they love, offering an extra (late) Day 2 pick and late fourth rounder. Atlanta needs the picks badly, making a trade down this large a real possibility on draft day.<\/p>\n
Now working from the back of the second round, the Falcons take a shot on an intriguing wide receiver prospect who I\u2019m sure many of you will be familiar with: Georgia\u2019s Zachariah Branch. Branch is small in stature (5\u201910, 180) but brings a lot of what Atlanta needs to the table. He\u2019s a dynamic athlete and YAC demon, capable of making big plays in space and in the short area of the field. Branch also has the long speed to threaten defenses deep and can help take some of the attention away from Drake London. Branch is a great separator and is physical despite his size limitations, posting an elite 62.5% contested catch rate and a drop rate of just 2.4%.<\/p>\n
He still needs a lot of work on refining and expanding his route tree, and he\u2019s a slot-only player at this stage of his career. Still, Branch is an electric playmaker who also offers return ability that the Falcons could desperately use. Here at end of the second round, that\u2019s a skillset worth taking.<\/p>\n
Round 3, Pick 79: CB Devin Moore, Florida<\/p>\n The Falcons got by at cornerback in 2025 despite a number of injuries and a bit of regression from veteran Mike Hughes. A.J. Terrell turned in a strong season and the slot was capably manned by rookie Billy Bowman (until his injury) and Dee Alford, who is a pending free agent. Given Bowman\u2019s return timeline keeping him out into the season, the team is likely to re-sign Alford. Ideally the team can eventually upgrade from Hughes across from Terrell, and this pick is taking a long-term shot at that.<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s Devin Moore is a developmental size\/speed prospect who actually put some pretty good film out there in his first year as a full-time starter in 2025. Standing at an imposing 6\u20193, 200, Moore absolutely looks the part of a prototypical outside corner. If the rumors that he also runs in the 4.3s are true, he\u2019s likely to elevate his draft stock even beyond this pick. But as it stands, Moore is a strong run defender who has taken significant steps in both man and zone coverage in a short period of time. He\u2019s still fairly raw and would be best served as a depth piece to start his career, but Moore offers tantalizing upside as a future CB2 across from Terrell.<\/p>\n Round 3, Pick 95: LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech<\/p>\n Pick received from Patriots.<\/p>\n The Falcons have a major free agency decision to make with Kaden Elliss, but at this point I\u2019d wager on him returning on another multi-year deal. Divine Deablo was outstanding in 2025 and became the backbone of the defense. So in terms of starters, Atlanta could be in good shape. The depth, however, was disastrous last season. JD Bertrand was unplayable, and while the other veterans were better, it was a serious drop-off.<\/p>\n Texas Tech\u2019s Jacob Rodriguez was one of the top linebackers in college football last season. His instincts jump off the tape, and he\u2019s one of the most technically sound players in both run defense and coverage that you\u2019ll ever see. He\u2019s a turnover machine with a nose for the football, and he looks like a Day 1 NFL starter. The catch is that he\u2019s a little on the small side (6\u20191, 235) and there are questions about his athleticism and how he\u2019ll hold up in the NFL. At the Senior Bowl, I thought he looked just fine and more than held his own in all phases. He might not be the same elite player in the NFL, but I think instincts at linebacker are king. Rodriguez may lack ceiling, but I think he looks like a rock solid 10 year starter in the middle of a defense.<\/p>\n Round 4, Pick 114: DB Bud Clark, TCU<\/p>\n With the Falcons missing Billy Bowman for at least the start of the season and Dee Alford\u2019s status unclear, there could be a need for a starting nickel early in the season. To backup Bowman, I\u2019m looking at another player with a very similar background and style: TCU\u2019s Bud Clark. Clark also spent the majority of his college career at safety, but did take quite a few snaps in the slot over the past three seasons.<\/p>\n He\u2019s a smaller safety at 6\u20191, 190, but Clark was a tenacious run defender. His 2025 didn\u2019t quite live up to his elite 2024 season, but he\u2019s still had two very strong years as a full-time starter. Clark offers the safety\/nickel versatility that the Falcons covet from their defensive backs and would give Atlanta a young reserve with upside at multiple spots in the secondary. He was outstanding at the Senior Bowl as both a safety and corner, taking 1-on-1 reps against receivers, running backs, and tight ends. I like Clark\u2019s upside as a potential future starter who can also provide valuable depth right away.<\/p>\n Round 4, Pick 131: OT Isaiah World, Oregon<\/p>\n Pick received from Patriots.<\/p>\n We know the Falcons days of having Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary as their bookend tackles are approaching their end. McGary is returning off a season-ending injury, and Matthews has begun to decline. This isn\u2019t a problem that can be fixed in one offseason, and the team would be wise to start trying to unearth a developmental starter right away. With Bill Callahan coaching the offensive line, I feel a lot more comfortable making a pick like this. Once thought of as a potential top tackle prospect, Oregon\u2019s Isaiah World failed to take a step forward in 2025 and now finds himself squarely in the early-Day 3 range.<\/p>\n World certainly looks the part at an imposing 6\u20198, 320. As the old scouting adage goes, \u201cyou can\u2019t teach size\u201d. World has the physical traits and strength of an elite NFL offensive tackle, but the tape doesn\u2019t match. His issues are many, as World doesn\u2019t effectively use his size and has significant technical issues in pass protection. What he can do well right now is run block, particularly in power concepts. Building out his skillset as a zone blocker and in pass protection will be critical to his development, but this is exactly the type of prospect Callahan covets. At this stage of the draft, World is worth taking a shot on.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n