2021 NFL Draft: 3 options for Atlanta Falcons first round pick
By Hunter Neel
Option no. 1: A new franchise quarterback
There are quite a few directions the Falcons could go come draft day. The team is currently slated to draft fifth overall, a spot they hope to not be in for quite some time again. Because of that quarterback is a very intriguing option for the team.
Trevor Lawrence seems to be the foregone conclusion to be the first pick in the draft but after him the conversation could be interesting. BYU quarterback Zach Wilson has been generating some buzz to be the second quarterback off the board recently, and his recent performance versus UCF in their bowl game where he had over 430 yards and five total touchdowns. While Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields looked to be the second pick for a while now, Wilson has made himself a good case, leading to an interesting dynamic in the top five.
With the Falcons drafting fifth, Fields looks like a long shot, that is unless a trade can occur to move them to three if he is available. Other than Fields and Wilson, there is also North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance who is an intriguing option.
Out of the three listed Lance is the guy who needs to sit and develop the most, but his ceiling is a high one. Depending on the route the Falcons go with Ryan, Lance could be a good option to sit for a year then let him take the reins. Either way, if the Falcons choose to address the quarterback position they will have plenty of options to choose from, which is exciting for many fans looking for a new direction after the history of blowing leads the team has had.