The Falcoholic
Atlanta unveils a draft class that addresses immediate needs and places a big bet on the future.
The Atlanta Falcons had to infuse their roster with talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They took a twisty, unexpected road through this draft class, but it’s difficult to argue with the notion that they’ve done just that.
The team got their quarterback of the future with Michael Penix, loaded up their defensive front with young talent in the form of Ruke Orhorhoro, Bralen Trice, Brandon Dorlus, and Zion Logue, and added depth pieces to the offense with wide receiver Casey Washington and running back Jase McClellan. Most of those players will be expected to contribute at least a little right away—Orhorhoro, Trice, and Dorlus probably significantly—but this was also a class with an eye on bringing in players who can develop for the 2025 and beyond Falcons. We’ll hope it pays off for an Atlanta team intent on contending now and continuing to contend in the years to come.
Here’s the full class.
The selection that will define the success of the 2024 NFL Draft in the minds of many, Penix is unlikely to pay off immediately. The question is whether he will pay off at all, but the Falcons’ staggering confidence that he will is one of the stories of the week.
The Falcons, after all, gave Kirk Cousins a massive four-year deal (it’s really a 2-to-3 year pact, given the way the cap hits shake out) to try to win now after six straight losing seasons. Penix is the player they want to take over the job in two or three seasons and be available if something happens, and the southpaw quarterback offers the arm, smarts, and upside the team wants. They’ll put a coaching staff filled with quarterback-centric mentors to work ironing out his shakiness outside of the pocket and over the middle of the field and count on that staff and Penix’s natural talent to make him one of the better quarterbacks in football, age and injury history be damned. The ability is, in this humble blogger’s opinion, unquestionably there.
We have no idea if it will work out, and it will be a questioned and maligned pick until it does. But the Falcons’ faith in Penix is something to behold, and if it pays off and he’s a franchise guy when the team is ready to move on from Cousins, little else will matter.
Another controversial selection, though less so than Penix, Orhorhoro was questioned because of the players he was picked ahead of and because of the third rounder the Falcons traded away to go up and get him (they did get a late pick back). The talent and potential are not really in question, however.
Orhorhoro is a tremendous athlete, a strong and tenacious defender, and a polished player against the run right now. His college production, limited...
