Story by
Falcons 7-round NFL mock draft: Atlanta adds fuel to front seven
- Story by
- Falcons 7-round NFL mock draft: Atlanta adds fuel to front seven
After months of speculation, the 2025 NFL draft is finally within reach. Round 1 kicks off this Thursday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Atlanta Falcons will be on the clock in the middle of the first round (pick No. 15), unless they can pull off a trade.
In our latest seven-round NFL mock draft, the Falcons land two defensive playmakers and swing a mid-round trade for a developmental center prospect. Check out our final draft projections for Atlanta below.
Advertisement
Round 1 (15): DL Walter Nolen - Ole Miss
An early run on edge rushers left the Falcons in tough spot here at pick No. 15. Without any trade offers, the team went with Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen . Atlanta released Grady Jarrett at the start of free agency and didn't do much to replace him. Nolen is a disruptive defensive tackle who's coming off his best season -- 26 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, 25 hurries. He has really come along as a pass rusher and is a dominant force against the run.
Round 2 (46): EDGE Bradyn Swinson - LSU
After taking Nolen in Round 1, the Falcons fill an even bigger need in Round 2 by taking LSU's Bradyn Swinson . While Swinson's college career got off to a slow start, he has shown a ton of upside since transferring from Oregon. Last season, he had 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 43 hurries and a pass-rush grade of 90.3 for the Tigers. Scouts have varying opinions on Swinson's draft projection, but most agree he will develop into a quality starter at the NFL level.
Advertisement
TRADE: Falcons send pick 118 to Raiders for picks 143, 180
The Falcons came into this draft with just five picks. Here we send their fourth-round pick (No. 118) to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for the 143rd and 180th overall selections.
Round 5 (143): IOL Willie Lampkin - UNC
With the fifth-round pick acquired from the Raiders, the Falcons add a developmental center prospect in North Carolina's Willie Lampkin. Despite a dominant season at guard in 2024, Lampkin's size will likely force him to move to center in the NFL. The Tar Heels standout graded out well as a run blocker and pass protector last season. He's an excellent zone blocker and allowed just one sack in three seasons. The Falcons need help at center after losing Drew Dalman .
Advertisement
Round 6 (180): WR Andrew Armstrong - Arkansas
For our final three picks, we went with prospects the Falcons met with before the draft. Here in Round 6, the team lands wide receiver Andrew Armstrong. Last season, he finished with 1,118 receiving yards and averaged 14.6 yards per reception. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, the Arkansas standout has a ton of NFL upside.
Round 7 (218): CB Jaylin Smith - USC
Jaylin Smith is a developmental defensive back prospect who could provide special teams value and depth on the outside. While he struggled a little bit in zone coverage, Smith more than held his own in man. Last year, he allowed just 26 catches on 42 targets and recorded two interceptions for USC.
Advertisement
Round 7 (242): RB Woody Marks - USC
The Georgia native met with the Falcons before the draft and is a good option to close out the team's 2025 class. After posting back-to-back seasons with over 500 rushing yards, Marks broke out with 1,133 rushing yards on 5.7 yards per carry for the Trojans in 2024. The Falcons have two quality backs in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier , but for how long?
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons 2025 NFL mock draft: Atlanta adds Walter Nolen, Bradyn Swinson
