![\"Atlanta](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2237022452-e1775761209705.jpg\")
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The Atlanta Falcons<\/a> have just five draft picks entering the 2026 NFL Draft. New general manager Ian Cunningham is already looking for ways to change that just weeks before the event.<\/p>\n \u201cFor us, it\u2019s one of those things where we have to go into this thinking we only have five picks. That\u2019s worst case,\u201d Cunningham said, via the team\u2019s website. \u201cIf we come out of it with just five picks, we come out of it with just five picks. We are already looking at different ways to potentially manufacture some more. But if it doesn\u2019t work out, it doesn\u2019t work out.\u201d<\/p>\n Cunningham hasn\u2019t shown his hand on how the Falcons plan to add more draft capital, but it\u2019s clear the team still has holes to fill before the 2026 season.<\/p>\n \u201cDo not be surprised if the Falcons find a way to trade down or even trade a player for more picks,\u201d ESPN\u2019s Marc Raimondi said<\/a>. \u201cNew general manager Ian Cunningham has been very clear about his affinity for more selections, noting that the Bears<\/a> went from five picks to 10 in his first year working for Chicago. Atlanta\u2019s offseason has not been meat and potatoes, as it has built depth and elevated the team\u2019s floor with an eye toward future flexibility. Expect more of that strategy in the draft.\u201d<\/p>\n One position ESPN\u2019s Jordan Reid reports Atlanta is showing interest in, though, is wide receiver \u2014 despite adding Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency.<\/p>\n Falcons Showing Interest In Day 2 Wide Receiver Option<\/p>\n The Falcons lost Darnell Mooney and Khadarel Hodge this offseason but still have WR1 Drake London in place. Even so, the room may still need more depth, particularly a field-stretching option.<\/p>\n \u201cIn speaking to league sources connected to Atlanta, one position that has been heavily linked to the Falcons is defensive tackle,\u201d Reid said. \u201cThey have done an extensive amount of work there, but another position that routinely popped into conversation was wide receiver. Even after adding Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus this offseason, the Falcons want a field stretcher at some point on Day 2. Bryce Lance (North Dakota State) was a name that kept coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n Lance spent the last four years with North Dakota State, a former FCS powerhouse, where he totaled 127 catches for 2,157 yards and 25 touchdowns.<\/p>\n His NFL Combine prospect grade<\/a> came in at 6.17, labeling him a \u201cgood backup with the potential to develop into a starter.\u201d<\/p>\n As of now, Lance is projected as the 16th wide receiver off the board, according to NFL Mock Draft Database<\/a>, with a projection around pick No. 87. That\u2019s within the Falcons\u2019 range, but it could require a slight reach given they hold pick No. 79 and then don\u2019t select again until No. 122.<\/p>\n Falcons Likely Targeting Defensive Tackle Early In Draft<\/p>\n If the Falcons are able to wait on Lance, that likely puts the focus on defensive tackle with their first pick in the second round at No. 48 overall.<\/p>\n The Falcons\u2019 team website<\/a> recently highlighted two defensive tackle prospects who could be available in that range.<\/p>\n One option would keep things local with Georgia\u2019s Christen Miller. The other is Texas Tech\u2019s Lee Hunter.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tShane Shoemaker<\/a> Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Falcons\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Atlanta Falcons have just five draft picks entering the 2026 NFL Draft. New general manager Ian Cunningham…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":862538,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2074],"tags":[223,254,2554,224,7,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-862537","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-atlanta-falcons","8":"tag-atlanta","9":"tag-atlanta-falcons","10":"tag-atlantafalcons","11":"tag-falcons","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116376450948475154","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=862537"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862537\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/862538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=862537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=862537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=862537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}