The Falcons should be well-positioned to choose the best player available at the NFL Draft this year after yet another offseason in which they had more than their full allocation of draft picks and plenty of cap money to spend in free agency. That approach might be abandoned, though, in the event that they discover a quarterback during the assessment process that they like.
In his most recent mock draft for The Athletic, Diante Lee has the Falcons doing precisely that.
8. Atlanta Falcons: LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels
Daniels would be a bit of a reach here, despite his video-game stats and Heisman Trophy, if we’re making selections based only on a prospect’s raw rankings. Despite this, he was the best collegiate quarterback in terms of scrambles and expected points added (EPA) per dropback. Even in situations where he wasn’t sending it deep to Brian Thomas Jr. or Nabers, his decision-making improved in 2023, and he performed considerably better while working through progressions.
Although I believe he needs a season to work out some issues, Atlanta would be wise to make the investment.
The best-case scenario for the Falcons this offseason would be to select one of the top three quarterbacks in this class, either Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, without having to move up at all. I’ve probably said this a million times already, and I’ll probably say it a million more times between now and the NFL Draft.
That’s a whole separate topic on how realistic that might be. The first three picks in this year’s draft, in my opinion, will all be quarterbacks, giving the Falcons alternatives like Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and JJ McCarthy. Although they obviously shouldn’t be in the mix for the Falcons at eight, Lee believes Daniels at eight is a little bit of a reach.
Like Joe Burrow a few years ago, Daniels just finished a fantastic season at LSU when he won the Heisman Trophy. In addition to gaining almost 4,000 yards via the air with 40 touchdowns against only four interceptions, he ran for over 1,000 yards on the ground.
Daniel’s quickness and ability to make plays with his feet will make Lamar Jackson fans take notice. He is, nevertheless, a much superior passer than Jackson ever was while playing college ball. Daniels, who can attack the field vertically with amazing accuracy, has the finest deep ball in this year’s draft class. His development from his junior to senior season at LSU may be the most intriguing thing about him as a prospect, even though it was on display the entire season.
Daniels was most likely projected as a Day 2 or 3 draft pick at this time last year, but his rapid progress as a passer speaks much about his work ethic. While his physical prowess rivals that of almost any quarterback entering the league, his grasp of the mental aspect of the game should help him succeed at the highest level. Daniels might require a year to adjust before being introduced to the next level of play, but there’s nothing wrong with that—especially for the Falcons, a team that can afford to go cautiously with him.
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