The Falcons made seven selections, and as has been the case in many of their recent classes, no one was exactly in love with the haul, with charges of “reaching” and “trading up for little discernible reason” and “taking two running backs, really?” dominating the discussion.
That said, most agree that the Falcons added legitimate talent to this roster even if they didn’t love the positions or value, and everyone’s got a favorite pick or two. How did analysts and fans grade the 2019 haul, and more importantly, how silly or accurate will these grades look in three years?
Falcons Fans: “Pretty good”
What do you think of this draft class?
— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) April 27, 2019
SB Nation: C+
The Falcons clearly viewed the offensive line as a priority, to get the most out of quarterback Matt Ryan. The team used the No. 14 pick on guard Chris Lindstrom, then traded back into the first round to take right tackle Kaleb McGary at No. 31. Atlanta has put an absurd amount of resources into the offensive line this offseason.
On Day 3, the Falcons got nice depth with cornerback Kendall Sheffield, pass rusher John Cominsky, and big running back Qadree Ollison.
Where’s the defensive tackle, though? That was arguably the team’s biggest need, and it went unaddressed.
NFL.com: B+
Lindstrom will be a decade-long starter in the interior for the Falcons. Surprisingly, GM Thomas Dimitroff did not manage to move up for a defensive tackle like Ed Oliver or Christian Wilkins to meet their top need. Lindstrom is a safe pick and an upgrade over the veteran free agents the team signed, but they could have used another difference-maker on defense. Then they picked McGary, who I figured Dimitroff was targeting in the top 45 to replace former starting right tackle Ryan Schraeder. They gave up a third-round pick (No. 79) and gained a sixth-round pick (No. 203) in this deal, which isn’t a terrible price to pay if McGary protects Matt Ryan as an immediate starter. In the end, they basically copied what Indianapolis did to its offensive line in the 2018 draft (Colts picked Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith). The Falcons had no picks on Friday night.
Pro Football Focus: Average
Atlanta went after talented small-school products on Day 3, but none of their selections in Rounds 1-4 were great value picks when compared PFF’s board.
Charleston defensive interior John Cominsky, PFF’s No. 175 overall player and the Falcons’ pick at No. 135, tested extremely well at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, but he’ll face a steep learning curve going from Charleston to the NFL.
Sports Illustrated: B
Aside from maybe a lack of pass rushing depth, the Falcons had no obvious needs on defense, which is why they could invest heavily along the O-line. In doing so, their third pick didn’t come until Round 4. Kendall Sheffield is an outside corner who didn’t always find the ball in college. That’s notable because Atlanta coach Dan Quinn believes ball-tracking is the biggest key to playing corner in his Seahawks-style Cover 3 scheme. Sheffield might be better suited inside, which makes more sense given the voids left by the dismissals of Robert Alford (now a Cardinal) and Brian Poole.
USA Today: C-
They appear poised to field an offensive line with five first rounders after selecting Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary on Thursday. Make no mistake, this team needed to get better in the trenches. But did GM Thomas Dimitroff pull the trigger a bit early for both players — especially given McGary came at the price of this year’s second and third rounders? Time will tell. But Dimitroff is the same guy who “overpaid” for Julio Jones in 2011, so ...