Falcons 2021 NFL Draft primer: Will they draft heir to Matt Ryan?
By Cory Kinnan
Top targets in 2021 NFL Draft
Entering the 2021 NFL Draft and off of an incredibly underwhelming offseason, the Falcons have a ton of holes to fill. In all honesty, their best bet is to move out of the fourth overall pick if they do not intend to take a quarterback and receive a haul of assets. If they do take a quarterback, however, here are their three top targets.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Perhaps the best non-quarterback in this year’s draft class is arguably Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. After three seasons in Gainesville where he showed the ability to be a game-breaker from every imaginable alignment, Pitts comes to the NFL as an absolute lethal weapon. Despite trading for Hayden Hurst a year ago, Pitts would be a significant weapon to add to their arsenal for Smith and Ryan to toy with.
Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
If the Falcons do not feel like they have the personnel to wield Smith’s outside zone offensive scheme, then Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell fits the bill. In fact, even if they just want to upgrade their offensive line, he is the best one in the class, and the Falcons will have their pick of the litter of taking the first non-quarterback off the board.
Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
This writer does not buy that Mac Jones nor Trey Lance will be taken by the San Francisco 49ers and thinks that Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields will still be the pick. If the Falcons do decide to draft the heir to Ryan’s throne, then taking one with other-worldly tools with the fourth pick and easing him is a dynamite option. Lance has the gifts on par with Trevor Lawrence and is quite a cerebral prospect. Pairing him with Smith is going to give Atlanta a head coach-quarterback duo to fear for years to come.