The NFL scouting combine is underway. The NFL world is congregating to help make dreams come true and help their respective teams win the Super Bowl. One of those franchises is the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons were in the mix for the NFC South division crown. They began the season 6-6 and were either tied for the division lead or outright held it up until that point. But a 1-4 finish to the season foiled those ups and ended up leading to changes within the coaching staff.
But Atlanta can now turn to the draft to find some difference-makers who could help them win the division in 2024. Two players stand out for the Falcons: Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey.
Bo Nix, Quarterback
The Falcons really have everything they need to be a dangerous team. They have a plethora of talented skill-position players in the form of Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. Their offensive line is solid. The Falcons' defense ranked 11th overall, allowing 321.1 yards per game.
Atlanta's quarterback play was an outright disaster in 2023. In terms of EPA (Expected Points Added) plus CPOE (Completion Percentage Over Expectation) composite score, the Falcons got some of the worst quarterback play in the NFL last season.
Among 49 qualified quarterbacks with at least 120 snaps under center, Desmond Ridder, Atlanta's starter for most of the 2023 season, ranked 31st at the position in that metric. Taylor Heinicke, their backup, finished 34th among quarterbacks.
Bo Nix could be the one to cure all ills in Atlanta. Nix's college career did not get off to the strongest of starts during his time at Auburn. In three seasons there, Nix completed just 59.4% of his passes and averaged just 6.85 yards per attempt.
However, once arriving in Eugene, he took off like a rocket. In two seasons as a Duck, Nix completed 74.85% of his passes, averaged 9.2 yards per attempt, and threw for 74 touchdowns to just ten interceptions.
For comparison's sake, Nix threw for more touchdowns in his last season at Oregon (45) than he did in his three seasons at Auburn combined (39). Nix leveled up in Eugene and looks like a legit NFL quarterback.
He could also be exactly what the Falcons are looking for. Their new coaching staff, headlined by head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, came from the Los Angeles Rams and are looking to implement a similar offense Sean McVay has crafted over there. That could also mean finding a quarterback more in the mold of a Matthew Stafford.
Bo Nix essentially became that kind of quarterback in Oregon. He made all kinds of throws and was deadly accurate all over the field. With the weapons at his disposal as well as fitting what the coaching staff wants at quarterback, this pairing makes sense. Perhaps the Falcons can find a way to make it happen.
Ladd McConkey, Wide Receiver
Ladd McConkey might be the most underrated receiver in this loaded class. The numbers seem to back that line of thought at least.
McConkey's film is pretty darn good too.
Ladd McConkey doesn't have the most outrageous counting stats among receivers in this year's class. For his entire three year career, he has only 1,678 yards to his name. For context, Washington's Rome Odunze accumulated 1,640 yards in *2023 alone.*
But there's a reason for that. McConkey has played with great players at Georgia, including the likes of George Pickens, Adonai Mitchell, Jermaine Burton, and star tight end Brock Bowers. Pickens is already in the NFL and those three are about to join him there.
The Bulldogs have also dominated college football during McConkey's time there. They've liked to pound the ball and haven't needed to air the rock all over the place after taking big leads that their loaded defense won't relinquish.
That context along with his ridiculous per route metrics could make McConkey a big-time sleeper in the 2024 draft. He'd fit in perfectly next to Atlanta's star skill players on offense and played his ball right down the road in Athens. This seems like a match made in heaven.
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