The Atlanta Falcons will be on the clock with the eighth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. With needs at skill positions, such as wide receiver and running back, as well as a pressing need for a pass rusher, there are no shortage of areas to fill for Atlanta in the draft. Although the team signed free agent signal-caller Marcus Mariota, there's also an argument to be made for taking a quarterback with the eighth selection in the NFL Draft.

Given all these options, it will be tough for the Falcons' front office to prioritize which area they want to spend valuable draft capital on. Before the Calvin Ridley betting scandal, the Falcons may have considered using the eighth pick on a pass rusher. However, the absence of Ridley, who will miss the entire 2022 season due to a suspension by the league, creates more of an urgency to add to the wide receiver room.

Fortunately for the Falcons, the 2022 NFL Draft class contains plenty of elite-level prospects at the wideout spot. From Alabama's Jameson Williams to Ohio State's Garrett Wilson to Arkansas' Treylon Burks, Atlanta has a bevy of options to beef up their wide receiver depth chart. Wilson, who is regarded as perhaps the best receiver prospect in the draft, makes too much sense for the Falcons. Here's why.

3 Reasons Garrett Wilson Is A Perfect NFL Draft Fit For Falcons

2. The Falcons get a Calvin Ridley replacement- and clone 

It's no secret that Atlanta needs to find a wideout to replace some of the production lost from Ridley. As it stands, the number-one wideout on the depth chart in Atlanta is Olamide Zaccheaus, who has made just 10 career starts in three seasons. Clearly, the Falcons will need a number-one threat if they want to have a chance at a productive offense in 2022. Wilson, who has been compared to Ridley by some, would give the Falcons exactly that. The Ohio State product is similar in size to Ridley, who is more of a small-bodied wideout. Wilson is an accomplished route runner and is able to move around in the formation, something that will play well in head coach Arthur Smith's offense alongside tight end Kyle Pitts, who is also frequently moved around in the formation.

*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

1. Wilson would give the Falcons an instant playmaker 

Wilson has star potential, as ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. characterized him as the “closest thing to Ja'Marr Chase” in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Ohio State product is a playmaker, having scored 12 touchdowns for the Buckeyes this past season, and he is versatile, as he can be an excellent deep threat but can also excel in short yardage situations, where he is deadly after the catch. The do-it-all Buckeyes prospect would give the Falcons another strong presence on offense alongside Pitts. Plus, when Ridley returns in 2022, he and Wilson would instantly form one of the best young wideout duos in the league.