Falcons trade Kyle Pitts to Cowboys in new 7-round mock draft

After swapping first-round picks with Dallas, we get the highest-rated remaining prospect on our board and begin rebuilding the front seven. The Falcons finished 31st in the NFL with 31 sacks last season. Meanwhile, Green led the FBS with 17 sacks and is coming off a dominant Senior Bowl performance. Jeff Ulbrich is going to need some players to work with for this defense to be competitive in 2025. Atlanta is likely to lose Matthew Judon and Lorenzo Carter in free agency. That leaves Arnold Ebiketie and several unproven defensive linemen to pick up the slack. Green is the type of dynamic player this team desperately needs on defense.

The Falcons have a ton of work to do in the secondary, but it’s important not to force things in the spirit of addressing needs. While we intended to target a cornerback with one of our additional picks, the value wasn’t there in the early rounds. With an equally pressing need at safety, we have Atlanta taking Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts here in the second round. Last season, Watts’ six interceptions helped the Fighting Irish reach the National Championship game. The versatile safety earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 89.7 with a coverage grade of 89.5. Pairing Watts with Jessie Bates could provide a huge boost in the secondary. Veterans Justin Simmons and Richie Grant will be free agents this offseason.

Walker is a versatile linebacker who can rush the passer and play multiple spots along the front seven. I like the Georgia standout as a do-it-all replacement for former Bulldogs LB Lorenzo Carter, who is set to hit free agency. Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich didn’t want to commit to a 3-4 or 4-3 base scheme, so expect a variety of looks this season. Walker played a little over half of his snaps as an off-ball linebacker last season while playing about 40 percent of his snaps along the defensive line. He recorded a pass-rushing grade of 83.8, according to Pro Football Focus.

Fannin Jr.’s draft stock is rising after an impressive week of practice at the Senior Bowl. If you’re wondering whether the Bowling Green tight end can fill Kyle Pitts’ role on offense, Fannin finished the 2024 season with 117 catches for 1,555 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Over the last two seasons, he has 161 receptions for 2,178 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. While he didn’t produce those numbers against top-level competition, Fannin proved he has the talent and instincts to play at the next level this week at the Senior Bowl.

While we didn’t address the cornerback position as soon as we had envisioned, landing Jacob Parrish here in the fourth round is a solid consolation prize. The former Kansas State Wildcat recorded five interceptions over the last two seasons. In 2024, Parrish allowed 151 fewer receiving yards than he did in 2023 despite being targeted three more times. He has experience playing in the slot but played primarily on the outside in college. Parrish has good instincts and doesn’t shy away from contact, but he needs to polish his game a bit. With Mike Hughes and Dee Alford potentially leaving in free agency, the Falcons could use someone like Parrish to help the transition.