Falcons 2026 NFL Draft guide: Number of picks, biggest needs, draft history, and more

The Atlanta Falcons’ 2026 NFL Draft guide has arrived at your one-stop information ClutchPoints store! It’s here to get you ready for the upcoming annual seven-round selection meeting. Ahead of this crucial week, let’s look at the Falcons’ draft picks, their biggest needs, potential targets, and their recent draft history.

This year’s draft is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with Round 1 kicking off on April 23. Rounds 2 and 3 happen on April 24. The festivities wrap up with Rounds 4-7 on April 25.

Falcons’ 2026 NFL Draft picks

The Falcons better make their picks count. They only have five this year. And they don’t have one in the first round. The Falcons won’t be on the board until overall pick No. 48.

It should be noted that the Falcons have been willing to wheel and deal in the past. Last year, they dispatched this year’s first-round pick to get another early selection. They grabbed James Pearce Jr., who turned out great on the field but may be a disaster off of it.

Here’s the full list:

• Round 2, Pick 48
• Round 3, Pick 79
• Round 4, Pick 122
• Round 6, Pick 215
• Round 7, Pick 231

Falcons’ 2026 NFL Draft needs and targets

Even though the Falcons knocked on the playoff door last year, their roster needs work for this season. There are five positions where draft improvements could make a critical overall difference.

WR: The quarterback position looks good as the Falcons enter 2026 with two capable starters in Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa. And Drake London is a stud WR1 to help them out.

However, their roster needs Falcons need to boost things behind London. Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus don’t love the excitement needle.

That’s why the Falcons seem like to target a WR with their first pick. And they could get a good one with that second-round selection.

Perhaps a guy like Chris Bell (Louisville) could slip into the Falcons’ grasp because of his late-season ACL tear. He’s a possession receiver, according to NFL.com. But that fits nicely alongside London.

“Bell’s scores frequently came as a move target across the hashes, where he was able to use impressive build-up speed to eliminate angles and outrun everyone in the secondary to the paint,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “He’s average at eluding press (coverage) and separating from tight man underneath. Improving his catch focus and positioning when contested will be critical.”

Other possibilities are Germie Bernard (Alabama), Skyler Bell (Connecticut), or Chris Brazzell (Tennessee).

DL: The Falcons need more size on the interior defensive line, and they should be able to find that with their first pick. One of the most interesting players could be Texas Tech interior lineman Lee Hunter.

He’s a brute at 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds. The Texas Tech product has been nicknamed “The Fridge.” And he is a run-stopping menace, according to NFL Draft Buzz.

“Hunter is a run-stuffing nose tackle, and there is no reason to pretend the projection is anything more complicated than that,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “What he does against the run is very good. He plants in the A-gap, absorbs double teams with heavy hands, and holds ground while freeing up the second level. The pass-rush limitations are the kind that cap his role. He is a one-trick bull rusher right now.”

But he fits well with the Falcons because they have the needed pass rush on the outside, if Pearce gets to play this year.

The Falcons could also look at Peter Woods (Clemson) or Christen Miller (Georgia).

CB: AJ Terrell gives the Falcons a strong presence, but he could use more help on the other side of the field.

And Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds might be exactly what they need. He has starter potential, according to NFL.com.4

“He’s tremendously competitive and winning seems to follow him at each stop,” Zierlein wrote. “He matches press releases with good slide quickness and has the speed to stay in-phase as routes travel vertically. Eye discipline, instincts, and trigger quickness fuel his zone work and catch disruption. Size limitations will likely push him to nickelback.”

If Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) is still on the board, that might tip the scales. But he figures to go earlier. Keith Abney (Arizona State) would also be a good look, along with San Diego State’s Chris Johnson.

EDGE: Pearce’s arrest and subsequent charges impact this position highly. The Falcons have to consider at least moving in that direction again this year. That’s especially true if they want to be in the playoff mix.

But what will be on the board? Perhaps Missouri’s Zion Young could be a nice fit. He’s long and strong, according to Pro Football Focus.

“He has good arm length with a strong upper body to stack and shed as well as finish tackles,” Trevor Sikkema wrote. “He has a decent first step but is slow to change direction and has limited top speed in pursuit.”

Other contenders would be R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), Malachi Lawrence (UCF), and Gabe Jacas (Illinois).

LB: It’s not a critical need, but the Falcons could use an upgrade. However, the draft pool is thin in the second round. Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) and Jake Golday (Cincinnati) are possibilities.

Recent draft history — top picks for the last five years

• 2025: DE Jalon Walker, Georgia (Round 1, pick 15)
• 2024: QB Michael Penix Jr. (Round 1, 8)
• 2023: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas (Round 1, 8)
• 2022: WR Drake London, USC (Round 1, 8)
• 2021: TE Kyle Pitts, Florida (Round 1, 4)
• 2020: CB AJ Terrell, Clemson (Round 1, 16)

After hitting offensive skill positions hard for four straight years, the Falcons focused on defense in 2025. They got Walker and later in the first round added Pearce (pick No. 26 overall).

The jury is still out on the 2024 first-round pick of Penix. But Robinson, London, and Pitts look strong. And because they are still rolling, it makes sense for the Falcons to again attack defense in 2026.

As the draft moves along, the Falcons will almost surely get a receiver. That should be their pick in Round 3 or Round 4. But defense likely gets the call in Round 2.

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