Falcoholinks: All the Falcons news you need for Monday, May 3

Your Falcoholinks for a Monday are a full rapid-fire draft roundup. Dive on in.

2021 NFL Draft recap

Round 1

If you weren’t glued to your television or the internet on Thursday, you’re in for some news! The Atlanta Falcons brought in nine new members to their team in the 2021 NFL Draft, highlighted by elite playmaker Kyle Pitts. Pitts provides an immediate upgrade to Atlanta’s offensive attack — standing at 6-foot-6, 245 lbs. with 4.4 speed, he’s going to be a nightmare for opposing defenders. Oh, and he should help your fantasy squad, too.

Along with adding a tight end of Pitts’ caliber to an already talented offense, it clarifies and reaffirms the franchise’s plan and belief in quarterback Matt Ryan.

Round 2

The Falcons elected to trade back five spots with the Broncos, picking up picks No. 40 & 114 in the process. They were still able to get the man that was high on their draft board, UCF safety Richie Grant — the presumptive starter at the spot vacated by former free safety Ricardo Allen.

We’ve got several UCF alums on staff here at The Falcoholic, so the homerism is strong with this pick. Grant is also the ball-hawking coverage safety that the Falcons are in desperate need of.

Round 3

Moving into the third round where Atlanta addressed the offensive line by snagging Michigan OL Jalen Mayfield, who figures to be a plug-and-play guard in 2021 — and may get some looks as a swing tackle, as well.

Round 4

The mid-rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft were busy ones for the Atlanta Falcons. With two selections in the fourth, Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith got a chance to show their player evaluation bona fides as this is where the true value emerges in the draft.

With the 108th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Falcons selected San Diego State cornerback Darren Hall, another physical playmaker as Atlanta rebuilds its secondary.

They followed that up six picks later with Stanford center Drew Dalman, who provides solid depth and could enter into a battle with second-year OL Matt Hennessy for the starting gig in the middle of the line.

Round 5

The Falcons held three picks in the fifth round, and they used all of those picks to address the defense. They kicked off the round by selecting Texas defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham, and then added some pass rush to the defensive line by taking DE Adetokunbo Ogundeji out of Notre Dame.

They focused on the secondary with their final pick in the fifth round by selecting cornerback Avery Williams out of Boise St.

Round 6

Atlanta final pick of the 2021 NFL Draft looks to be a sleeper on offense. With the 187th pick, the Falcons selected Arizona State wide receiver Frank Darby, a tough playmaker who our own Eric Robinson compared to another Arizona State wide receiver, San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk.

2020 NFL Draft in retrospect

With the seemingly savvy work that the new regime put in to build Atlanta’s 2021 NFL Draft class, it’s imperative to consider how the players from last year’s class will factor in. The performance of players like A.J. Terrell and Marlon Davidson are critical for the Falcons to establish a young foundation that they can build on.

Whither running backs?

There was no running back selected by the Falcons in the draft, and it’s a clear position of need. So what’s the plan at that spot?

A post-draft glance at the roster

So how does the Falcons’ roster look in the wake of the draft? We’ve got you covered. There’s sure to be some changes as the week rolls along and the UDFA signings happen.