Falcoholic Roundtable: 2020 2nd round mock draft

We did it last year, and we’re back at it again this year ahead of the draft — welcome to the 2020 Falcoholic roundtable mock draft, where each writer will make his/her own personal selections for the Atlanta Falcons in the 2020 draft. Today, the second round is on tap.

Here’s how this roundtable will work: each writer participating in this roundtable will put on their general manager hat to make their selection for the Falcons at pick 47, and they’ll provide a brief analysis as to why they selected that player. The selection has to be somebody whom the writer thinks will realistically be there at 47.

We’ll assume that the team will stay at 47 with no trades for the sake of not getting too convoluted.

Please note that this is not a prediction based exercise, we will not be predicting what the Falcons will do during the draft (that’s borderline impossible to do given just how unpredictable the selection is every year). We are instead going to pretend to take control of Atlanta’s front office and make the selections we want to see.

You’ll see the writer’s name in italics, followed by their selection in bold, and analysis in block quotes.

You can find last year’s first round mock here, second round mock here, and third round mock here.

You can find yesterday’s first round mock selections here.

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Adnan Ikic:

Previous Pick(s) - C.J. Henderson (CB - Florida)

Round 2, Pick 47: Julian Okwara (DE - Notre Dame)

After grabbing a starter to fill the cornerback need in the first round, I have the Falcons taking someone who can potentially wreak havoc off the edge in the second.

Okwara possesses the length, speed, and athleticism to become a formidable pass rusher at the next level. A broken fibula in November of his senior season along with some questions about his run defense have the potential to push him down on draft boards and right into Atlanta’s lap.

Okwara is by no means a finished product - he will have to develop some counter moves and get a little stronger to compete with NFL tackles, but the tools he possesses can’t be taught. There won’t be pressure on him to carry the load in his rookie year, as he will step in as the number three pass rusher behind Takk and Fowler.

The Notre Dame man had 86 total QB pressures in his 21 career starts. He has the chance to plug in and give Atlanta its best pass rush rotation in over a decade (although that’s not saying much).

Evan Birchfield:

Previous Pick(s) - Javon Kinlaw (DT - South Carolina)

Round 2, Pick 47: Trevon Diggs (CB - Alabama)

In the first round of my mock draft, I had the Falcons selecting defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw out of South Carolina. The defensive tackle position is one of the main needs that the Falcons should address early in the draft.

In my mock draft simulation, there were some prospects like running back Jonathan Taylor and edge Terrell Lewis still available but ultimately I went with cornerback Trevon Diggs out of Alabama. A lot of mocks likely have Diggs gone by pick 47, but for some reason he was still available so I ran to the podium to make this selection. Diggs is a standout in zone coverage and is very physical, which Dan Quinn loves. Diggs would instantly fill a hole in the secondary left by the departure of Desmond Trufant in free agency. This most likely won’t happen, as Diggs probably won’t be available at pick 47, but regardless, he’s the pick in this scenario.

Dave Choate:

Previous Pick(s) - C.J. Henderson (CB - Florida)

Round 2, Pick 47: Justin Madubuike (DT - Texas A&M)

I’ll be honest: I’m aiming to add impact players to all three levels of the defense. Having addressed the cornerback group in the first round with Florida’s C.J. Henderson, I’m turning my attention to other areas.

I almost took Wyoming’s Logan Wilson here, because he has felt since the beginning of the offseason like the kind of guy Atlanta would invest in earlier than expected. I’ll go with the likely wrong draft stock for Wilson in most outlets out there (3rd round) and get another player I like here.

Madubuike’s a player the Falcons would find a lot of use for. They have Tyeler Davison, Deadrin Senat, Jacob Tuioti-Mariner and even Allen Bailey available on the interior to help out against the run, but they’re missing another player who can develop into a pass rushing threat on the interior. John Cominsky may be able to help there sooner than later, but Madubuike has the quick feet and underrated power to win matchups next to Grady Jarrett, and could be a legitimate problem if he can figure things out in the NFL. I’d be thrilled to get him here.

Cory Woodroof:

Previous Pick(s) - K’Lavon Chaisson (LB - LSU)

Round 2, Pick 47: Cameron Dantzler (CB - Miss. St.)

The last time the Falcons took defensive players in the first two rounds, they were Keanu Neal and Deion Jones, so I very much advocate for them to do that again. I’m not sure how likely it is, with a sneaking suspicion creeping up on me that the team might try to get a left guard to complete its offensive line rebuild and keep them from the 100-man competition going on at that spot. But I get to call the shots here, so let’s be defensive.

In my first round, I have the Falcons grabbing a pass rusher in K’Lavon Chaisson, so I’ll grab another SEC defender. Dantzler has the size and speed the team loves (see a recurring theme), as NFL’s Lance Zierlein notes. With the team having Raheem Morris and Joe Whitt Jr. on the defensive side of the ball now, they’ve got some great coaches to help groom secondary talent. Dantzler appears to need help in run support, but that’s where coaching can come in.

I’d be tempted to just go defensive tackle and continue building a truly respectable defensive line, but corner is a more...pressing...need (punz). Dantzler has SEC experience and could be a factor on the outside for a good while. He, Kendall Sheffield and Isaiah Oliver could give the Falcons a good, young, affordable core at the position for the future.

Kevin Knight:

Previous Pick(s): Javon Kinlaw (DT - South Carolina)

Round 2, Pick 47: Jaylon Johnson (CB - Utah)

With the biggest issue on the defensive line addressed in the first round, the Falcons turn their attention to the biggest need—period—on the entire team: CB. With Desmond Trufant’s exit, the impetus to add an instant impact player who can start from Day 1 without issue is strong. Utah’s Jaylon Johnson isn’t the biggest, strongest, or the most athletic, but he’s the most confident and technically sound option of any of the Day 2 CBs.

At 6’0, 190, Johnson is also an above-average athlete. He’s a physical tackler and one of the most competitive guys you’ll see on the football field—a key attribute for CBs, who must be able to recover mentally after getting burned. All CBs get burned. Johnson has elite foot quickness and is one of the best mirror-and-match options in the draft, and he’s got enough long speed to carry routes downfield. His merely average arm length and size limit his effectiveness against the giant WRs of the NFL, but the Falcons already have a CB with crazy arm length in Isaiah Oliver.

Johnson is the perfect complement to Oliver on the outside. He can matchup much more effectively with the smaller, more slippery, quick-footed WRs while Oliver is better equipped to handle the “skyscrapers” like Mike Evans. Johnson even has some versatility in the slot, and while he’s best served in a press-man role, he’s got tons of scheme flexibility due to his advanced football IQ. Johnson is being criminally underrated by some because of his average size and only above-average athleticism—but for someone who has to start Day 1, advanced technique and confidence are far more important attributes.

Matt Chambers:

Previous Pick(s) - Javon Kinlaw (DT - South Carolina)

Round 2, Pick 47: Damon Arnette (CB - Ohio State University)

I really hope that Kristian Fulton (CB - DBU) is available at 47 because Fulton has the solid speed and speed but questionable drive and polish that Dan Quinn loves. Short of the LSU occasional stand-out dropping about half a round, the Falcons could snag the second-best corner from THE Ohio State University: Damon Arnette. He’s perfect because he is physical at the line of scrimmage, is a beast in run support, and should struggle pretty heavily elsewhere to keep the secondary pretty consistent.

Eric Robinson:

Previous Pick(s) - Best defensive player available (Whatever school University)

Round 2, Pick 47: Best defensive player available (Whatever school University)

Surprise, surprise. Nothing changes here from me as I continue to just stockpile talent on a defensive unit that needs it at every level. Depending on how the first round goes for the Falcons, it will likely dictate what direction they go in the second round. If the Falcons go corner in round one, I expect this pick to address the defensive line and vice versa. While I may not have a particular pick for this one, I do have a few names to keep an eye on in this range: CB A.J. Terrell, CB Bryce Hall, DL Curtis Weaver, DT Marlon Davidson, S/LB Jeremy Chinn.