The Atlanta Falcons are fresh off of another very disappointing season in 2020. When everything was said and done, they ended the season with a 4-12 record which placed them last in the NFC South. That was a disappointing finish, but they have a chance to add more crucial young talent to the roster in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.
Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are nearing the end of being the faces of the franchise and rumors swirled about them last year at the trade deadline. If things start slow again this season, it would not be shocking to see the Falcons consider trading them. That makes adding more young talent even more important, as the future of the franchise could be in jeopardy.
In the first-round, the Falcons will have an excellent chance to add a star to the roster at No. 4 overall. Many believe they will take Florida star tight end Kyle Pitts, but others could see them drafting Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. No matter which route they go, they will like the prospect they end up taking.
For this article, we will be focusing on the Falcons' second-round pick at No. 35 overall. This is a very deep NFL Draft with a ton of talent throughout all seven rounds. There are some sleeper picks in the seventh-round that could end up becoming starters.
However, the Falcons need to nail the third pick in the second-round. They have quite a few needs to focus on, including defensive end, quarterback, running back, and tight end. Let's take a look at three perfect options for the Falcons at No. 35 overall in this draft class.
Falcons options:
3. Javonte Williams, Running Back, North Carolina
Gone are both Todd Gurley and Ito Smith, the team's top two running backs in 2020. They are left with Mike Davis and Cordarrelle Patterson at the running back position. If the Falcons are smart, they are going to bring in a young running back in the first few rounds of this draft.
One name that would stick out with the No. 35 overall pick would be Javonte Williams. He has risen up draft boards aggressively throughout the process and is projected to be an early to mid second-round pick.
During the 2020 season with the Tar Heels, Williams carried the football 157 times for 1,140 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns. Williams would be a quality selection with this pick and could end up being the starter for the Falcons at some point in his rookie season.
2. Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington
Should the Falcons look to address their pass-rushing issue in the second-round, Joe Tryon might be the pick. He was a stud with the Huskies and is one of the most underrated EDGE players in this NFL Draft class.
Tryon had a big 2020 season with Washington, racking up 41 total tackles to go along with eight sacks and a defended pass. There is no question that he will need to be developed, but he has the raw talent to be something special.
Atlanta has to figure out how to bring in young talent on the edge. Taking Tryon with this pick would help them accomplish that goal. It certainly seems like a good match for both parties involved.
1. Trading Down To Gain More Picks
Finally, there is one option that the Falcons should consider the most at this selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. Trading back and adding more picks would be a very good move. Atlanta has plenty of holes to fill and more picks would help them fill those holes.
Being able to add another second-round pick and possibly a late third-round or early fourth-round pick would be ideal. It would be well worth moving back. As we already mentioned, there is a ton of talent to be found in the middle rounds of this draft as well.
It seems likely that the Falcons will end up taking someone with this pick, but trading back could be their best option.
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