Falcons bolster defense after trading down in new 7-round mock draft

Barring some sort of tampering punishment by the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons will have the eighth overall for the third consecutive draft. Even if the Falcons can keep their first-round pick, there’s a good chance that general manager Terry Fontenot will surprise fans with his selection once again.

Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner has become the trendy pick among the media and fans, but Atlanta’s front office firmly believes in drafting for value over need. At this point, it’s tough to know whether or not the Falcons view Turner as someone worthy of the No. 8 pick. If one of the top WR prospects — like Washington’s Rome Odunze — is available, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Atlanta trade back.

In our latest seven-round Falcons mock draft, Atlanta swaps first-round picks with Buffalo before bolstering the secondary.