Atlanta Falcons: 3 Players worth trading up for in 2020 NFL Draft

The Atlanta Falcons are reportedly looking at trading up from No. 16 in the 2020 NFL Draft but which players are worth trading up for?

Over the past few years, the Atlanta Falcons and general manager Thomas Dimitroff have not been shy about making big trades in the first round of the NFL Draft. In 2019, they moved back up to the No. 31 pick to get Kaleb McGary with a dire need on the offensive line. Two years prior, they moved up in the back half of the first round to select Takkarist McKinley as they needed to bolster their pass rush.

While McGary and McKinley have not necessarily worked out to this point, there is more than enough evidence that Dimitroff will pursue his team’s biggest need heavily. And that appears to be the case again in the 2020 NFL Draft.

After Dimitroff joked about being at the No. 16 pick “for now” during a podcast interview at the NFL Combine, that is starting to gain some steam. This week, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Falcons could be ready to make a trade up for one of the top defensive prospects in the class, assumedly someone Atlanta doesn’t believe will make it to their initial selection.

If that’s what the Flacons believe in, then recent history says they’re ready to make that type of move. But who is the defensive prospect they’re wanting to make a move for? Let’s take a look at three players that could be on their radar if they trade up.

Derrick Brown, IDL, Auburn

Looking at a variety of mock drafts at this point, you can see Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown going anywhere from No. 3 to No. 9. After his showing at the NFL Combine proved that he’s not a great overall athlete, people are having a difficult time reconciling that with his impressive tape.

Having said that, Brown’s tape shows an uber-powerful and disruptive player on the interior. Pairing him with Grady Jarrett at defensive tackle, along with newcomer Dante Fowler Jr. on the edge, could give the Falcons the firepower in the trenches that they’ve been lacking and needing.

Javon Kinlaw, IDL, South Carolina

In the same vein as adding Brown, the Falcons could have information that Javon Kinlaw might be coming off of the board sooner than expected according to recent projections. And when you look at what the former Gamecock could bring, it’s quite enticing. He and Jarrett could create massive penetration up the middle and generate a pass rush in that unconventional manner — especially with Fowler attacking off the edge.

C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

Perhaps the most likely scenario as to why the Falcons are looking to trade up from the No. 16 pick is that they want to find a long-term answer at cornerback. After letting Desmond Trufant walk this offseason, they don’t have a sure replacement for him lying in the wings.

C.J. Henderson, however, can be that replacement fro them. The former Florida Gator has elite movement and man-coverage skills that should translate to him being a lockdown force on the outside. Chances are, there’s no chance he makes it to No. 16. And if that’s the case, Atlanta could be ready to make their move and immediately shore up their secondary.