2020 NFL Draft grades for every team: Cowboys ace test, Packers falter
By Randy Gurzi
Atlanta Falcons
There were some ups and downs for the Atlanta Falcons in this draft. They started out with a massive reach in the first round, taking Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell at No. 16.
He surely fits a need as they were desperate for a cornerback but desperation leads to mistakes — and there probably aren’t two more desperate people in the NFL right now than head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff who entered the season sitting on thrones of lava.
They both know their jobs are in jeopardy and they’re trying to fill each hole to become a competitive team once again. Terrell isn’t a bad player but the reach was long. Next was Marlon Davidson from Auburn, who has his share of fans. However, I’m not counted among those. Still, he has some versatility and can help them and is probably the best pick they made during the draft.
From there, they landed a center which makes little sense considering the presence of Alex Mack. They waited until the 119th pick to land a linebacker, which is where they took Fresno State’s Mykal Walker. He has some tools to work with as does Cal safety Jaylinn Hawkins. Still, it’s never good when all your picks get better after Round 1. Tough start but a decent finish helps them improve the grade some.
Grade: C+