The Atlanta Falcons drafted Florida tight end Kyle Pitts Thursday, then they drafted additional much needed help on offense and defense Friday.
With these three picks, the Atlanta Falcons are showing that winning is something the organization plans to do immediately, and that they are not entering into a rebuild.
Starting with Pitts, he was a monster last season at Florida, tallying 12 touchdowns and 770 yards on 43 receptions. He put on a show against the SEC all season in 2020 and proved that he was a first round talent. He is a proven red zone target that will be a massive boost to the Atlanta Falcons red zone scoring.
Last season, the Atlanta Falcons were among the league's worst red zone offenses, and the addition of Pitts will help to solve those problems. At 6'6" and 245 pounds, having a player at that size will be a problem for every team that he faces. He has the size and skillset to the be the best tight end in the league, and could be a future hall of famer.
In the Atlanta Falcons two tight end system, Kyle Pitts will thrive.
Matt Ryan very well may have the best season of his career given the weapons he has on offense. Adding Pitts to the mix that includes Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst, and Russell Gage will more than likely boost the team's offense into one of the best in the league. A revamped running game to hand off to will help Ryan prove that he is still among the NFL's best quarterbacks.
The combo of Pitts and Hurst, who had a great 2020, will prove to be a tough matchup for opposing defenses. Hurst finished the year with 571 yards a six touchdowns and proved he can be a viable weapon for Ryan. Look out for Pitts and Hurst when game planning on how to slow down this offense.
Having a new offensive scheme allows for Pitts to be utilized in different ways.
Pitts will benefit from the weapons around him.
With the amount of weapons around him, Pitts should thrive. As a rookie, he may not draw much coverage initially, which will allow him to run deep routes and slant routes for big gains. Once he starts drawing more coverage, then that will allow other receivers and Hurst to run open easier.
There are no negatives to this selection, and if everything plans out, the Atlanta Falcons may have just drafted themselves a future hall of famer.
The addition of Grant fills an important need for the Atlanta Falcons.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted UCF safety Richie Grant and Michigan guard Jaylen Mayfield Friday night, adding needed pieces to the roster.
Grant is a three-time first-team all-AAC and led the team in tackles with 72. Adding to his impressive resume, he finished his career with 11.5 tackles for loss, 10 interceptions, five forced fumbles, and 17 pass deflections. He is a a great asset to the team.
With the loss of Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee in the off-season, a safety was needed to fill the gap, and Grant should make an immediate impact for the Atlanta Falcons.
For a team that gave up the most passing yards per game last season, any type of upgrade in the defensive backfield is more than welcomed.
Mayfield could be an important part of protecting Matt Ryan.
Mayfield was taken by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round and should fill in at the guard position. With his size, 6'5" and 320 pounds, he should be able to help protect Ryan, something the offensive line has struggled with in recent years.
Overall, the draft should be viewed as a great success so far. The Atlanta Falcons remaining picks are 108, 114, 148, 182, 183, and 187, and a lot of improvements can be made to the team with these picks. Fans should be excited for tomorrow's draft. The Atlanta Falcons still have a lot of work to do, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
New General Manager Terry Fontenot has done a great job so far and will continue to add pieces to this team.
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