Falcons land Jayden Daniels in mock draft from The Athletic

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.

That’s exactly what Diante Lee has the Falcons doing in his latest mock draft for The Athletic.

 

8. Atlanta Falcons: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

If we’re judging picks in accordance with a prospect’s raw grades, Daniels — in spite of his video-game numbers and Heisman Trophy — would be a bit of a reach here. Still, he led all college quarterbacks in expected points added (EPA) per dropback and on scrambles. His decision-making improved in 2023, and he worked through progressions much better, even when he wasn’t throwing it deep to Brian Thomas Jr. or Nabers.

 

I think he needs a season to iron out some kinks, but it would be a worthwhile investment for Atlanta.

I’ve said it probably a million times already, and I’ll probably say it one million more times between now and the NFL Draft, but the ideal scenario for the Falcons this offseason would be landing one of the top three quarterbacks in this class — Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels — without having to move up at all.

 

How feasible that might be is an entirely different story. I firmly believe the top three picks in this year’s draft will be quarterbacks, leaving the Falcons with options like JJ McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr, and Bo Nix. They probably shouldn’t be in play for the Falcons at eight, but according to Lee, he feels Daniels at eight is even a bit of a reach.

 

Daniels is coming off a historic season at LSU, much like Joe Burrow a few years earlier, in which he won the Heisman

Trophy. He rushed for over 1,000 yards on the ground while adding nearly 4,000

more through the air with 40 touchdowns to only four interceptions.

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.