The NFL Combine is in the books and free agency is right around the corner. We take a look at how the Combine changed things for the Falcons in our second 7-round mock draft of the 2025 offseason.
The NFL Combine is in the books and free agency is right around the corner. That means it’s time for another full seven-round mock draft for the Atlanta Falcons, who appear to be in a tricky situation this offseason. The salary cap is tight and the team has just five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to work with at the moment, not exactly a great setup for a team that needs a total defensive overhaul.
This mock draft will be the final one I’ll do with absolutely no trades. I think it’s necessary to see what happens in free agency before attempting to project trade scenarios, which is a dubious proposition to begin with. That being said, I firmly believe Atlanta will aggressively pursue a trade down from pick 15. Both because of the makeup of the draft class, the team’s particular needs, and the aforementioned lack of resources.
Before we jump in to the mock, let’s take a look at the Falcons’ current haul of draft picks.
What are the Falcons current 2025 NFL Draft picks?
- Round 1, Pick 15
- Round 2, Pick 46
- Round 4, Pick 116
- Round 7, Pick 220 (from Chargers)
- Round 7, Pick 244 (from Rams)
This is the written version, but you can also find the mock draft in two alternate forms as well. On our YouTube channel:
The mock is also available on all your favorite podcast platforms! You can listen to it directly here:
Previous mock drafts: First edition | Post-Combine
Round 1, Pick 15: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
One of the cleanest evaluations in the 2025 draft class and one of my favorite overall players, Jahdae Barron is an instant-impact addition to Atlanta’s secondary. While I personally think Barron’s long-term home is as a slot defender, he’s got plenty of experience playing outside and at safety. Quite simply, he can fill any role in the secondary if needed. In the slot, however, he’s a perfect fit and could become an elite player at a position of increasing importance in the NFL.
Barron turned in an eye-popping 4.39s 40 and some good jumps en route to a 9.00u RAS while weighing in at nearly 200 pounds. For a corner who is not quite 5’11, that’s an impressive weight that rivals many free safeties. Barron isn’t an ideal outside corner at that height, but as a slot defender, he checks all the boxes. The tape is elite, and I have no questions about Barron’s ability to impact the NFL game at a high level.
Round 2, Pick 46: EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss
With the Falcons passing—once again—on a pass rusher in the first round, they will be looking for an addition with their lone Day 2 pick. Thankfully, this is a deep class, and Ole Miss’ Princely Umanmielen was still on the board at pick 46. Umanmielen has posted consistently elite pass rush numbers throughout his career, and checked the athleticism boxes with an impressive 8.50u RAS.
Umanmielen certainly isn’t without question marks. He’s light and his run defense will be a significant area of concern early in his career. There are also nebulous character concerns floating around which could affect his stock. I’m not capable of weighing in on that, but at this point in the draft, Umanmielen is well worth the risk. He’s a potentially elite pass rushing specialist who could provide a big spark to Atlanta’s beleaguered defensive front.
Round 4, Pick 116: SAF Andrew Mukuba, Texas
With Jahdae Barron filling the slot need and, hopefully, the re-signing of Mike Hughes taking care of CB2, the Falcons really just need a safety to pair with Jessie Bates. Why not add Barron’s teammate in Andrew Mukuba, who is starting to creep into early-Day 3 in many mock drafts?
Mukuba’s tape as a coverage safety is excellent, and he can provide a lot of value as a split or single-high safety. His issues come as a run defender, where he has plenty of “want to” but not a lot of size to back it up. Mukuba came into the Combine at 5’11, 186—lighter than Barron by 10 pounds. Still, if the Falcons are looking to play a lot of two-high safeties and want to emphasize coverage on the back end, Mukuba could be a perfect high-value fit at this point in the draft.
Round 7, Pick 220: DT Cam’Ron Jackson, Florida
Pick acquired from Chargers.
If the Falcons want to continue playing a lighter, nickel-focused defense, they desperately need an space-eating nose tackle to bolster their front. Luckily, this draft class is chock full of quality nose tackles, with Florida’s Cam’Ron Jackson still available late on Day 3. Unlike the guys who will go higher in the draft, Jackson is a run defender only. Outside of a bull rush and pocket pushing (along with some batted passes!), Jackson isn’t going to impact the passing game much.
In the run game, though, Jackson is a bully. His 9.3% run stop rate and 80.9 run defense grade (per PFF) is elite. At 6’6, 328 with massive 34” arms, he checks all the size boxes. While his poor jumps pulled down his overall RAS to a fairly average 4.58u, Jackson’s actual speed numbers were respectable given his size. This is a specialized player with a specialized role, but someone who can give you legitimate early-down starting potential late on Day 3. That’s a bargain in my book.
Round 7, Pick 244: LB Kain Medrano, UCLA
Pick acquired from Rams.
The Falcons go in the opposite direction with their final pick, taking a chance on a terrific athlete at linebacker who has the potential to grow into a capable rotational player in time. UCLA’s Kain Medrano aced the athletic testing with elite jumps and a 4.46s 40 at the Combine, while also coming in at nearly 6’3, 222. Those numbers were good enough for a 9.72u RAS. That’s obviously a tad light for an NFL linebacker, but it’s rumored he played more in the 230s.
I won’t claim to have watched much of Medrano, but what I have seen is as intriguing as it is frustrating. As you’d expect given his measurables, he’s a capable coverage player who also has some pass rushing juice. He struggled mightily against the run and as a tackler, posting a terrifying 26.0% missed tackle rate (per PFF). So if you’re wondering why he’s still around this late in drafts, there’s your answer. Still, I think he’s well worth taking on a chance on given his athleticism and coverage chops—I just wouldn’t expect a whole lot from Medrano as a rookie outside of some special teams work.
What do you think about this potential draft class for the Falcons? Leave your draft takes in the comments below!