Atlanta Falcons 2024 NFL Draft Guide: What you need to know

Hey Falcons fans! It's time to get ready for the 2024 NFL Draft with exclusive team insights and analysis.

Read below to get a sense for Atlanta's projected picks, positional needs, selection history, GM draft notes and more, all courtesy of the NFL's research team.

And don't forget to tune in on Thursday, April 25th at 8:00 p.m. ET for live coverage of the draft on NFL Network and NFL+.

Atlanta Falcons Draft Overview

2023 record: 7-10
Third in NFC South; missed playoffs

Falcons 2024 draft picks (8):

Round 1, pick 8
Round 2, pick 43
Round 3, pick 74
Round 3, pick 79 (acquired from Jacksonville Jaguars in Calvin Ridley trade)
Round 4, pick 109
Round 5, pick 143
Round 6, pick 187
Round 6, pick 197 (acquired from Cleveland Browns in Deion Jones trade)

Falcons team needs (according to Chad Reuter): Edge, Cornerback, Defensive Tackle, Safety, Quarterback

Projected Falcons first-round selection, via NFL.com draft analysts:

(See all projections at Mock Draft Central)

Falcons 2024 Opponents

Home

Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Giants, Chargers, Chiefs, Steelers, Seahawks

Away

Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Commanders, Eagles, Raiders, Broncos, Vikings

Falcons Notable Activity Tracker (2024 offseason):

Falcons Decision Makers

Owner and Chairman: Arthur Blank

President and CEO: Rich McKay

General Manager: Terry Fontenot

Head Coach: Raheem Morris*

* New to role

Terry Fontenot

- Fontenot is entering his 4th season as Falcons GM

- Fontenot is the 1st Black GM in Falcons' history

- ATL went 7-10 in each of his first 3 seasons as GM (2021, 2022, 2023)

- 6th straight season ATL finished w/ 7 or fewer wins

Falcons Draft Notes

Terry Fontenot Era (Since 2021)

- 23 total players selected (12 offense, 11 defense)
- 1 Pro Bowler selected (TE Kyle Pitts)

- All three 1st Round picks were in the top-8 overall

- Has used all 3 1st-rd picks on offensive skill players (RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London, TE Kyle Pitts)

- Fontenot has made 3 draft picks inside the top-8 overall over his 3 drafts as ATL GM

- RB Bijan Robinson (#8 ovr in 2023): Led ATL with 1,463 scrimmage yards in 2023

- WR Drake London (#8 ovr in 2022): Leads ATL with 1,771 rec yards since 2022

- TE Kyle Pitts (#4 ovr in 2021): Leads ATL with 2,049 rec yards since 2021

- ATL has had 4 diff starting QBs over the 3 seasons that Fontenot has been GM (2021-23)

- Matt Ryan (17), Demond Ridder (17), Marcus Mariota (13), Taylor Heinicke (4)

- Fontenot traded Matt Ryan to IND during the 2022 offseason

- Received #82 ovr in 2022, selected DE DeAngelo Malone

- Malone started 0 games over 2 NFL seasons (1.0 sack)

- The Falcons traded Desmond Ridder (3rd-rd pick in 2022) to the Cardinals for WR Rondale Moore in March 2024

- Ridder: 8-9 W-L, 14 pass TD, 12 INT, 84.1 passer rtg over his 2 seasons w/ ATL

- As ATL GM, Fontenot has used a top-75 overall pick on every offensive & defensive position except OT, interior DL & CB (ATL has not selected an OT in any round since 2021)

Highest drafted Falcons player by position, since 2021

Last time Falcons picked each position in first round:

Compiled by the NFL Research team. All data current as of April 16, 2024.