Who Will the Falcons Pick at #8 in the 1st Round of the 2023 NFL Draft - Early Prediction

[jlrfalcon]

It is early but who would you predict the Falcons select at pick #8 in this year's upcoming draft.  A lot will depend on FA pickups or a trade away of the pick for Lamar Jackson or with a team wanting our pick for a QB.

The list I put in the poll is all the names I think I have seen the experts pick for us.  Some are perhaps ridiculous or will not even be available, but the many mocks already published for 2023 have been widespread.

[FalconFanSince1969]

I'm gonna vote what I think we will do, not what I want to do.

 

Lamar Jackson

[FalconAge]

Christian Gonzalez has been in the forum meta for a while now, so skipping him is an oversight

😑

Edited February 3 by FalconAge

[EddieK]

Stetson Bennett XLVI

[Mister pudding]

Helloooooooo, Mr. Wilson!

[Killing Floor]

I voted Porter because ATL is obsessed with Penn State players. There are some DBs I’d put in front of him. I just hope it’s a defenseman of some ilk. 
 

 

[Falcons_Frenzy]

As of right now I think they go Wilson. 

[Stryka]

Somebody has to sell me on a Clemson pass rusher. 🙄

I can’t recall one drafted in first round that was consistently good. Clemson has tons of players in the NFL. Great interior DL players but Zero Pass rushers that panned out. This Comin from a team that won 2 Nattys witching last 5-6 years. 
 

I’d love to hope this one is different but Murphy doesn’t jump off the screen to me for a top 10 pick. He has traits and size but his pass rush is unrefined and I don’t wanna have to wait until he potentially becomes a solid player. 

[English Falcon44]

The more I watch of Lukas Van Ness the more I like the pick at 8. 

[blizzard_falcon]

I voted other, 'cause I'm jumping on the Keion White train. Daniel Jeremiah has been banging the drum for him for a little while, but I've seen multiple reports this week saying that he and Will McDonald are the best edge players at the Senior Bowl. I think White is really going to shoot up draft boards when all is said and done, to possibly be the second edge rusher taken after Will Anderson.

[1989Fan]

4 hours ago, Killing Floor said:

I voted Porter because ATL is obsessed with Penn State players. There are some DBs I’d put in front of him. I just hope it’s a defenseman of some ilk. 
 

 

They are? We have 2 PSU players, and 3 UGA players (who according to the board the Falcons never draft Dawgs). Last season, I don’t think they had any PSU players.

[wnyfalconfan]

Paris Johnson Jr. He played left guard before moving to left tackle. He did both at an elite level. He would give the Falcons a succession plan for Jake Matthews. The way Matthews contract is set up the Falcons can move on from him in 2025

[Sui_Generis]

1 hour ago, wnyfalconfan said:

Paris Johnson Jr. He played left guard before moving to left tackle. He did both at an elite level. He would give the Falcons a succession plan for Jake Matthews. The way Matthews contract is set up the Falcons can move on from him in 2025

This is what I voted as well. Not my favorite move, but justifiable and understood. 

[Sui_Generis]

5 hours ago, English Falcon44 said:

The more I watch of Lukas Van Ness the more I like the pick at 8. 

I like him as well, just not sure about him at #8. 

[celtiksage]

5 hours ago, blizzard_falcon said:

I voted other, 'cause I'm jumping on the Keion White train. Daniel Jeremiah has been banging the drum for him for a little while, but I've seen multiple reports this week saying that he and Will McDonald are the best edge players at the Senior Bowl. I think White is really going to shoot up draft boards when all is said and done, to possibly be the second edge rusher taken after Will Anderson.

And the fact he's played some TE won't hurt. Our staff loves those versatile guys. He can replace Franks on the TE depth chart. Huge upgrade there. 🤣🤣

[Herr Doktor]

8 hours ago, Killing Floor said:

I voted Porter because ATL is obsessed with Penn State players. There are some DBs I’d put in front of him. I just hope it’s a defenseman of some ilk. 
 

 

Thats my feelings exactly.  I think we go secondary at that pick, if we still have it by then....

[Herr Doktor]

20 minutes ago, Sui_Generis said:

This is what I voted as well. Not my favorite move, but justifiable and understood. 

This would be the unsexy pick for sure.  But sets us up for a decade....

[Herr Doktor]

7 hours ago, Stryka said:

Somebody has to sell me on a Clemson pass rusher. 🙄

I can’t recall one drafted in first round that was consistently good. Clemson has tons of players in the NFL. Great interior DL players but Zero Pass rushers that panned out. This Comin from a team that won 2 Nattys witching last 5-6 years. 
 

I’d love to hope this one is different but Murphy doesn’t jump off the screen to me for a top 10 pick. He has traits and size but his pass rush is unrefined and I don’t wanna have to wait until he potentially becomes a solid player. 

In year four...

[octoslash]

I don't pretend to have a shred of draft insight (who really does?) but I'm sick and tired of not having a pass rush.

Having said that, the worst thing a team can do is draft out of desperation and chase positions of need when there simply isn't any talent.  

In the first round, is there any pass rusher in this draft that would immediately improve ours? 

If there is I don't see it.  

I hope Terry Fontenot is ready to break out that check book this spring, because if they want to do better than 7-10 again, they have got to create pressure on the quarterbacks.  

[Herr Doktor]

5 minutes ago, octoslash said:

I don't pretend to have a shred of draft insight (who really does?) but I'm sick and tired of not having a pass rush.

Having said that, the worst thing a team can do is draft out of desperation and chase positions of need when there simply isn't any talent.  

In the first round, is there any pass rusher in this draft that would immediately improve ours? 

If there is I don't see it.  

I hope Terry Fontenot is ready to break out that check book this spring, because if they want to do better than 7-10 again, they have got to create pressure on the quarterbacks.  

I am with you.  I want to hear the announcers say "HERE THEY COME" and collective ***** are shat.

[FalconDawg28]

I think 8 could be a the sweet spot for one of the top OT so I could see Paris Johnson, Broderick Jones or Peter Skoronski being the pick. 

[Boise Falcon Fan]

I want Jalen Carter, but I am going with they will pick CJ Stroud. I am just not sold that they think DR is the guy. Mariota played too bad, for too many games. If they really believed in him, he would have played sooner. I think they draft CJ Stroud, because they believe he is a franchise guy, and that DR will be a really good backup.

Edited February 3 by Boise Falcon Fan

[Swayzee]

We never make a pick in the 1st, and we trade with Baltimore for Lamar.

Where is Levis on this list? 😀

Edited February 3 by Swayzee

[jlrfalcon]

15 hours ago, Swayzee said:

We never make a pick in the 1st, and we trade with Baltimore for Lamar.

Where is Levis on this list? 😀

Every mock draft I have seen recently has both Bryce Young and Will Levis going in the first 5 picks (usually Indianapolis and Houston the QB pickers).  Further, no mock drafts I have seen have Atlanta choosing Levis who would seem to contradict what type of QB Atlanta would want. 

Edited February 4 by jlrfalcon

[TheRisen999]

It’s gonna be an ex- college player I bet! 🤣