For the first time in 13 NFL drafts, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff did not make a trade during the three-day event.
Instead of trading and living up to his nickname of “Trader Thomas,” he kept all of the six picks the team held entering the draft and used them primarily to plug holes on defense.
“We came into this year’s draft 100 percent looking to bolster our defense,” Dimitroff said. “It was going to be a very dominant defensive (minded) draft. We obviously stayed on track.”
The Falcons added a cornerback, a defensive tackle, a linebacker and a safety in the draft. They also took a left guard/center and a punter.
» MORE: Falcons earn C-minus grade for 2020 draft
Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn wanted to come away from the draft with a better team.
So, exactly how did this draft make the Falcons better on defense?
It was a down year for edge pass-rushers in the draft, so the Falcons skipped that area after signing defensive end Dante Fowler in free agency to a three-year, $48 million deal.
After Ohio State’s Chase Young went with the second pick to Washington, the next edge rusher taken was LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson, who went to Jacksonville with the 20th pick.
Carolina took Penn State’s Yetur Gross-Matos in the second round with the 38th overall pick. Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa, who early in the draft process was projected by many to go to the Falcons, went 54th overall (22nd in the second round) to Buffalo.
Six pass-rushers were taken in the third round. Detroit picked Notre Dame’s Julian Okwara (67th), the New York Jets took Florida’s and Sprayberry High’s Jabari Zuniga (79th), the Los Angeles Rams took Alabama’s Terrell Lewis (84th), New England took Alabama’s Anfernee Jennings (87th), Houston selected Florida’s and Hiram High’s Jonathan Greenard (90th) and Pittsburgh tabbed Charlotte’s Alex Highsmith (102nd).
The Falcons added three-year veteran defensive end Charles Harris, a former first-round pick, in a trade with Miami on Friday. The Falcons sent a 2021 seventh round pick to Miami for Harris.
The Falcons had a 5.8% adjusted sack rate, which ranked 28th in the league, last season. The adjusted sack rate gives sacks (plus intentional-grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent. The numbers point to a stout front, weak pass rush and coverage issues (mostly from the first half of the season).
Despite not taking an outside rusher, the Falcons believed they improved their pass rush in the draft by taking cornerback A.J. Terrell in the first round (16th) and defensive end/tackle Marlon Davidson in the second (47th overall).
Dimitroff believes that improved coverage from the “evolving” secondary will “pair well with” the pass rush.
Terrell must replace cornerback Desmond Trufant, who was released by the team and signed with Detroit in free agency.
Fowler was signed to replace free agent Vic Beasley. In addition to their rookies, they are counting on defensive end Takk McKinley, who'll be coming off shoulder surgery, to have a breakthrough season.
Former Falcons great Chuck Smith, who trains defensive linemen these days, approved of the team drafting Davidson.
“Marlon is a good football player, he’s strong vs. the run and will develop into a productive pass rusher,” Smith wrote in a text message to the AJC. “This is a great pick for the Falcons.”
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett has started to study Davidson, who will play next to him on the line.
“We texted back and forth after the draft,” Jarrett said. “ I look forward to working with him. He was excited about being in Atlanta. I’ve been seeing some of the plays that he’s made and the kind of personality that he is.
“I’m just super-excited to get to meet him in person and get to work with him. He was definitely an added piece to our team that we needed.”
Credit: AJC
Quinn put some stock in the fact that Terrell and Davidson were heavily recruited to college and met or exceeded expectations.
“They're made of the right stuff,” Quinn said.
So, how did the fourth-round picks — linebacker Mykal Walker and safety Jaylinn Hawkins — make the team better? They were not listed in Pro Football Focus’ Top 250 draft prospects, but the Falcons took them 119th and 134th overall.
“Well, I think No. 1, you found real competitive guys,” Quinn said. “So, Hawkins certainly is going to have an impact on the team just by his physicality. I think that goes to all four downs that he’s going to play. The physicality, the playmaking ability, the turnovers that he’s created, that’s been a big factor. So, adding another guy like that on to the defense, that’s a big (plus).”
Basically Hawkins is insurance for strong safety Keanu Neal, who’s coming back from Achilles surgery and has played in only four games over the past two seasons.
Walker sounds like a replacement for the departed De’Vondre Campbell, who was taken in the fourth round (115th) of the 2016 draft.
“With Mykal, obviously the versatility,” Quinn said. “He’s got the length to play outside at the (strongside) linebacker, and we’ll feature him also at some of the (weakside) linebacker. (He can) play over tight ends and do that based on his length.”
Jarrett approves of the moves.
“It’s been amazing to see some new faces added to the group from the draft and free agency,” Jarrett said. “Any time that we get some new (players) added to the Brotherhood, it’s always a good thing. I’m looking forward to a lot of success from our defensive unit.”
Jarrett is counting on the new players to add some new fire and energy.
“I feel like that we’ve got people that really match with the style and the intensity that we are going to play with,” Jarrett said. “I feel like we’ve got some all-out competitors added to our group.”
McKinley, who had his fifth-year, $10 million option declined by the team Wednesday, may be the wild card. The Falcons said they plan to take a “wait-and-see” approach with McKinley’s contract status for 2021.
“He definitely has been working hard to get healthy so that he can put his best foot forward,” Jarrett said. “Regardless of how the other things shake out, the business things, I believe he’s working to have a great season, however it plays out.”
Quinn will charge new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris with bringing all of the new pieces together.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do for sure, and right now what does that look like for the team?” Quinn said. “It’s a lot of training. It’s a lot of classroom work and guys connecting as best we can. But we can certainly make that promise, that this will be a group that will be ready to fight, battle and compete for it once we get our opportunity to do that.”
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