Falcons' Top 2023 NFL Draft Targets

For the second year in a row, the Atlanta Falcons go into the NFL draft with the eighth overall selection.

The Falcons' 7-10 record earned them another top-10 selection, but there's reason for hope. The past season was different. Rather than going 7-10 with Matt Ryan, they took a step toward a new era by trading him away and still getting seven wins with Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder at quarterback.

Ridder went 2-2 as the starter with a passer rating of 86.4, and Atlanta got positive seasons from rookies Drake London and Tyler Allgeier.

Now, the Falcons will get the opportunity to continue adding to their young core. With the eighth pick and two more selections in the top 75, they can take another step forward if they hit on these selections.

With that in mind, here are three top targets for when the Falcons get on the clock at No. 8 come Thursday.

QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

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ATLANTA, GA DECEMBER 31: Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) drops back to pass during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl college football playoff game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs on December 31st, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Scouting Report

This was a selection that seemed nearly impossible just a week ago when C.J. Stroud was widely considered one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft.

However, Peter King of MMQB dropped a game-changing nugget in his mock draft, noting it's "no lock he goes in the top seven." His use of "top seven" is interesting because the Falcons are at No. 8.

While Atlanta would be justified in passing on a quarterback to see what Desmond Ridder can become, Stroud being available would be too good to pass up.

Much of the 21-year-old's perceived fall has come from S2 Cognition Test, which is meant to measure multiple cognitive skills, per Bob McGinn of Go Long TD. Stroud reportedly had an 18th percentile score, while Alabama's Bryce Young was in the 98th percentile.

How much stock each team puts into that kind of testing is unknown. What is known is that Stroud dominated in college, showed off elite accuracy and is a relatively ready-made quarterback from a mechanical standpoint.

Ridder showed some promise, but a quarterback like Stroud doesn't often fall to No. 8. If he's there, he should be the pick.

Edge Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

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LUBBOCK, TEXAS - DECEMBER 05: Defensive lineman Tyree Wilson #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders lines up for a play during the first half of the college football game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Jones AT&T Stadium on December 05, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

Scouting Report

Pass rush has been a primary problem for the Falcons for a few years now, and they again had one of the tamest collection of quarterback-hunters in the NFL last year.

After finishing with just 21 sacks in 2022, the Falcons have to continue to find pass-rushers. The team can be hopeful second-round pick Arnold Ebiketie will build on his 2.5-sack rookie season.

Hope is not a strategy, though. Atlanta needs a real investment in a defensive end who can be the leader on the defensive line, and Tyree Wilson is one of the players in the class who could develop into that kind of player.

The Red Raider had seven sacks in each of his last two seasons with 27.5 tackles for loss in that time.

At 6'6", 271 pounds, he has prototypical size to put his hand in the dirt and control the line of scrimmage with the power to bulldoze tackles and wreak havoc in the backfield.

Wilson is the kind of dynamic talent the Falcons have desperately needed up front to anchor the defensive line. New defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen should be ecstatic if he falls to No. 8.

CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

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ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 03: Oregon Ducks defensive back Christian Gonzalez (0) during the game between the Oregon Ducks and the Georgia Bulldogs on September 3, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Scouting Report

Jeff Okudah is an interesting project at cornerback. The Falcons traded a fifth-round pick to bring in the former No. 3 selection.

Okudah struggled in his rookie season and then only played in one game of the 2021 season due to a ruptured Achilles. That's an injury that can take a while to heal from, but he played in 15 games last season, giving up just 8.8 yards per target and a passer rating of 87.6.

Still, his injury history and the fact that he's only really had one good season in the NFL shouldn't prevent the Falcons from drafting another corner early in the draft if they feel good about one.

There's a lot to feel good about with Christian Gonzalez. The Oregon cornerback is 6'1", 197 pounds and ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, giving him the size and speed to matchup with a full array of receivers.

Gonzalez transferred to Oregon for one season but made the most of his time. He had four interceptions and seven passes defended.

Pairing him with A.J. Terrell would give the Falcons two young cornerbacks to lead the secondary. Even if that doesn't directly help the pass-rush, it makes it easier to develop one.