{"id":871836,"date":"2026-04-22T11:21:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/871836\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T11:21:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:21:37","slug":"atlanta-falcons-2026-draft-day-2-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/871836\/","title":{"rendered":"Atlanta Falcons 2026 Draft: Day 2 Predictions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2026Atlanta Falcons 2026 Draft: Day 2 Predictions Author: Rohan Shiknis<\/a><\/p>\n

With the 2026 NFL Draft only two days away, the Atlanta Falcons and their new GM Ian Cunningham will have to sit patiently on Day 1. Previous Falcons GM Terry Fontenot dealt their 2026 first-round pick in a trade up to acquire EDGE James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 NFL Draft. This year, the Falcons have limited draft capital (five picks), an uncertain QB situation, and limited cap space.<\/p>\n

Cunningham, a former front-office executive with the Bears, Ravens, and Eagles, looks to bring a fresh approach to team building compared to his predecessor. All three of these organizations emphasize trading back and building depth, rather than Fontenot\u2019s more aggressive trade-up strategy. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta employs an economic theory that suggests no team has a true advantage in drafting, so the best way to build a successful roster is by accumulating as many picks as possible to increase the odds of hitting on enough players. While Cunningham may find it difficult to fully implement that strategy this year, he has already allowed key free agents\u2014LB Kaden Elliss, CB Dee Alford, and RB Tyler Allgeier\u2014to walk in order to maximize compensatory picks for the 2027 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

Even with all of this in mind, Cunningham can still add key pieces the Falcons need in this year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

2nd Round (Pick 48):<\/p>\n

The first pick the Falcons hold in this year\u2019s draft is No. 48 overall. At this spot, there are a multitude of needs to address. Most notably, the Falcons need help at WR2 (ideally a field-stretching option to complement Drake London), a bigger DT to improve their run defense, a CB2 to pair with AJ Terrell, additional EDGE depth given the off-field uncertainty surrounding James Pearce Jr., and potentially an OT to replace the retired Kaleb McGary or prepare for the eventual retirement of Jake Matthews.<\/p>\n

Including players who could realistically fall, this is the order of the big board I believe the Falcons could be working from:<\/p>\n

WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M<\/p>\n

CB Aveion Terrell, Clemson<\/p>\n

OT Max Iheanachor, ASU<\/p>\n

DT Peter Woods, Clemson<\/p>\n

DT Kaden McDonald, Ohio State<\/p>\n

DT Caleb Banks, Florida<\/p>\n

CB Chris Johnson, SDSU<\/p>\n

DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech<\/p>\n

Being in the second round, teams are often able to capitalize on high-level talent that falls due to external circumstances\u2014whether that be injuries, positional value, or team fit. There is also a strong possibility that TE Kyle Pitts could be traded on draft night for an additional second-round pick. However, barring a trade, it is likely Cunningham stays true to his philosophy of building through the trenches.<\/p>\n

While his background suggests a tendency to trade back, the Falcons\u2019 limited draft capital may push them to stay put at No. 48 and secure a high-upside player.<\/p>\n

Prediction: DT Caleb Banks, Florida<\/p>\n

At pick 48, the Falcons could be getting tremendous value. Banks, who has been viewed by some as a first-round talent, may fall into this range due to recurring foot injuries during the pre-draft process. Atlanta, picking this late in the second round, would be in a great position to take that risk and potentially land a long-term disruptor on the interior.<\/p>\n

Although other needs are pressing, building through the trenches is critical\u2014especially for a team that struggled to consistently stop the run. It is also unlikely that a player like Iheanachor falls this far. Meanwhile, needs at CB and WR can still be addressed later in the draft and have already been partially supplemented through free agency.<\/p>\n

3rd Round (Pick 79):<\/p>\n

The next pick the Falcons hold comes 31 selections later at No. 79 overall. After addressing the defensive line, the next step is to target their remaining pressing needs with a best-player-available mentality. Because there is much more variance leading into the third round, this is the group of players the Falcons could realistically be targeting at this spot.<\/p>\n

WR Bryce Lance, NDSU<\/p>\n

WR Zacchariah Branch, UGA<\/p>\n

EDGE Keyron Crawford, Auburn<\/p>\n

EDGE Romello Height, Texas Tech<\/p>\n

WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State<\/p>\n

TE Oscar Delp, UGA<\/p>\n

OT Travis Burke, Memphis<\/p>\n

As shown, the Falcons have been linked to a variety of wide receivers and developmental trench players. The edge rushers in this class are well-rounded, but Cunningham has notably expressed confidence in the depth of the receiver class this year. Similarly, he has mentioned that the defensive tackle position lacks depth, which further supports the likelihood of addressing it in the second round.<\/p>\n

Burke is also an interesting prospect given his 6\u20199\u2033 frame and combine performance, as well as the fact that he would not need to start immediately in 2026. Despite this, it seems unlikely that the Falcons will use a third-round pick on a developmental swing tackle and will instead target a field-stretching receiver with prototypical size.<\/p>\n

Prediction: WR Bryce Lance, NDSU<\/p>\n

Bryce Lance, the brother of QB Trey Lance, has played strong football at NDSU, an FCS powerhouse. While NDSU does not compete at the FBS level, it has produced several highly drafted talents, including WR Christian Watson and Trey Lance. Bryce Lance, who has been linked to the Falcons, shows strong athleticism and route-running ability and is someone the Falcons could look to develop alongside Drake London.<\/p>\n

While he is already 23 and has only one highly productive season, he represents a high-upside swing in the third round. Other prospects, such as Zacchariah Branch and Ted Hurst, carry their own concerns, which could make Lance a more appealing option.<\/p>\n

Overall, it is believed that the Falcons could look to trade down at some point in this draft to add to their total of five selections. However, it may ultimately be in their best interest to stay put in the second and third rounds to secure at least two quality contributors. This should be an unpredictable draft, but it has the potential to mark the beginning of the Cunningham era and a more sustainable chapter of Falcons football.<\/p>\n

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