Falcons: Why a quarterback change in 2021 NFL Draft is logical
By Hunter Neel
Falcons have options at their disposal
You simply don’t pick top five often, or at least you don’t want to be picking top five often. Because of this the Falcons should and will likely evaluate this year’s quarterback class deeply, whether that is the ultimate direction they go or not.
Luckily for the Falcons, this year’s quarterback class is deep and has four guys who look to be franchise caliber and worthy of a top five selection.
The clear top guy is Trevor Lawrence, who will ultimately be the one guy who you can almost guarantee will not be there for the Falcons. As for the rest of the group though, the order you rank them in seems to vary depending on who you ask.
Let’s start with Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who grew up a mere 30 minutes from Atlanta. Fields has been a highly named player for quite some time now, going back to his days as a recruit competing versus Lawrence. Fields has a great arm that is able to drop the ball into buckets downfield and did so consistently at college. He has great mobility and athleticism that allow him to be a dynamic threat on the ground and when throwing in the move. His accuracy is good as well, and despite some of the narratives out there he does a good job reading the field and moving defenders off spots to throw receivers open.
BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is the guy who came out of nowhere this season. The electric playmaker shows high levels of accuracy and ball placement, especially on the move and outside of structure which is where the league is trending. Wilson also showcases great mobility and the ability to thrive when everything around him begins to break down.
Lastly, we have NDSU quarterback Trey Lance, whose potential might just be highest in the class, granted he will need work before you see that come to fruition. Lance has perhaps the best arm in the class and may be the most mobile as well. He shows great accuracy and decision making, though you can tell he is raw and has few collegiate snaps under his belt when you watch him play.