The Atlanta Falcons won’t know how much they will love the logic of trading away their 2026 first-round selection for almost a full calendar year. Regardless of how well James Pearce Jr. pans out, it will be hard to plan on having a successful draft without a first rounder… but it is possible. The Los Angeles Rams, did just that in 2023 by drafting stars like Puka Nacua and Byron Young in the later rounds of the draft. With plenty of elite prospects expected to declare, it’s never too early to look ahead at the Falcons’ 2026 draft targets.
Next Steps for the Falcons: A Way-Too-Early Look at the 2026 Draft Class
Edge First, Defensive Line Next?
The 2026 NFL Draft Defensive Line class is slated to be one of the deepest classes we have seen in quite some time. The Atlanta Falcons are slated to be needing to revamp their defensive line, specifically defensive tackle, in 2026. Expect Atlanta to use their second or third-round pick on this position group. Watch out for LT Overton of the Alabama Crimson Tide or Caleb Banks of the Florida Gators. Both these guys are monsters on the defensive line that can fall to Atlanta in a later round.
LT Overton: High Ceiling, Time to Prove it
LT Overton is a guy who is 6’5” and moves like a linebacker at times. Overton was a 5-star recruit as part of that historic 2022 recruiting class at Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher. After two seasons that were under par for the former 5-star recruit, he transferred to Alabama this past season. Expect a breakout year for him in 2025. As an upcoming senior he will be the sole starter at his position and expected to make a large leap forward on reps. He has quickness that could make the Falcons a pass rush to be feared in the future with James Pearce and Jalon Walker on either side of him.
Caleb Banks: Jordan Davis Clone?
Caleb Banks’ most accurate NFL comparison is Jordan Davis. Banks is 6’6” and currently weighs in at 325 pounds. Despite his size, he had 4.5 sacks in a relatively surprising year for the Gators. Similarly to Davis, Banks is a former 3-star recruit that has played since his freshman year and jumped in snap count in his junior season. Banks is primed for an even bigger senior year. Do not expect him to put up Jordan Davis-esque numbers, but he will shine on that defensive line. Banks could be exactly what Atlanta needs to round out their defensive line for the next several years to come.
Focus on the Trenches: Offensive Line Next
While Atlanta is at it, the team should round out their offensive line in 2026. They have some holes in question in 2025 that time will tell how good they do, specifically interior offensive line. Chris Lindstrom is on the team for the long run. However, Bergeron and Dalman might not be the same. If they have a disappointing year or decide to test the market after the next season, IOL will be a high priority for Atlanta.
IOL is not slated to have near as much depth in its class in 2026 as DL/DT will. However, there are still some solid prospects the Falcons can easily grab within their second-to-fifth round picks.
The Missouri Tigers have two guys slated to declare for the draft on their interior offensive line that look very promising. Cayden Green at guard and Connor Tollison at center could be those missing pieces for the Falcons offensive line. Green has quick hands and latches onto defenders easily and can find himself climbing boards even higher than he already is going forward. He has the size to play anywhere on the offensive line and has the quickness to do so too.
Tollison is a guy that has great quickness and shows promising athleticism at the center position. However, his size at around 285 pounds has been labeled as a concern by some evaluators. If he bulks up and has a promising year at Missouri, Atlanta is a prime destination for the former 4-star recruit.
Tight End?
There is a crazy, yet completely real, possibility Atlanta decides to move on from Kyle Pitts if he has another disappointing year. If Pitts has another down year even with Michael Penix as his quarterback under a new offensive regime, he could be getting dealt to another team.
Oscar Delp and Jack Velling are two guys that could fill that role instantly. The only thing is that it would be hard to imagine Atlanta taking a tight end with an earlier round pick again. There is a world where Delp and Velling fall past the third round, but it would not be likely. Atlanta has plenty of weapons elsewhere on offense to use one of their first two picks on tight end. It might be hard for the front office to rationalize taking a tight end early.
If this is the case, watch out for Lawson Luckie. This could potentially be another Brock Bowers-Darnell Washington situation for Georgia to have two tight ends declare in the same year. He ended up pulling in just under 350 receiving yards for the Bulldogs in 2024 as Delp’s backup. With all the spotlight being on Delp, Luckie could potentially fall to the 4th, 5th, or even 6th round. He has the talent as a former 5-star to start immediately. He’s insanely athletic for his size and can block as well as catch. He shows traits that can be easily compared to how Bowers was at Georgia. Atlanta could potentially get a huge steal in 2026 if that is who they target.
Main Image: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
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