The Falcons are up with pick #4 of the APC Community Mock Draft

With the third pick in the APC Community Mock Draft, Kyle Shanahan finally got his dream quarterback. Justin Fields in Kyle Shanahan’s offense… that could be the stuff of nightmares for the NFC over the next few years. Now we move on to Shanahan’s former team, the Atlanta Falcons.

Terry Fontenot enters his first draft as GM of the team and could be looking to put his stamp on things with a splashy QB pick. However, the team restructured Matt Ryan’s contract this offseason, which could mean they’re ready to fill holes and maximize the end of their franchise QB’s career. The other possibility is they don’t make this pick at all! Recent chatter has shown the Falcons are willing to trade down for the right price, but for the sake of this mock, we’ll just keep them at #4. Here are the most likely options as we see them as well as a rundown of the first 3 picks in the mock.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2. New York Jets - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3. San Francisco 49ers - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

For the second time in the last half-decade, the Bison will have a first-round pick at quarterback. Lance leaves for the Draft as a redshirt sophomore and with just one season as a starter under his belt. He’s big (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and fast (no official 40 time, but estimated in the 4.5s) and he’s as much of a threat with his legs as with his arm. He might need time to acclimate to the NFL, but all the physical tools you could ask for are there.

Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

After getting some spot duty as a redshirt sophomore in 2019 with Tua Tagovailoa missing time, Jones took over as the Crimson Tide’s starter this fall and led the team to a national title. Throwing to a tremendous receiver group that included Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith and likely first-round pick Jaylen Waddle, Jones lit up the stat sheet with over 77% completions, 4500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and just four picks. Concerns about his mobility and ability to throw on the move will be his biggest roadblock to being drafted highly, however. Jones might have been the top pick in the draft 15 or 20 years ago, but with mobility becoming more and more important for NFL quarterbacks, that will likely hold him back significantly.

Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

The consensus top offensive lineman in the draft, Sewell opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An elite athlete at tackle, Sewell brings a nasty demeanor to his game and exceptional strength as well. He won the Outland Trophy as college football’s best lineman as a sophomore in 2019, putting him firmly in the 2021 draft discussion with a year to go.

Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

The most dominant tight end in college football last year was Pitts, who burst onto the scene as a sophomore and blew away those numbers in just eight games in 2020. A tremendous receiver, Pitts is still capable as a blocker and lined up everywhere for the Gators — on the line, in the slot, and in the backfield. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein mentions Darren Waller of the Raiders as his best NFL comparison as a dynamic, #1 receiving threat from the flex tight end spot.

With the 4th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select…

That’s it for today’s picks! We’ll find out tomorrow if you think that QBs go 1-2-3-4 for the first time ever. Keep it locked here and on Twitter tomorrow @acmepackingco to vote on tomorrow’s picks. The Bengals are up next with the 5th pick at 11 AM EST. And at 4 PM EST, vote on who the Dolphins pick at #6 after trading down. And then trading back up!