Falcons’ perfect 2026 NFL Draft trade

The Atlanta Falcons enter the draft in a waiting mode because of last year’s trade. Will they make a surprise move again this year? Here is the Falcons’ perfect 2026 NFL Draft trade.

The Falcons have only five selections on the board. And they have to wait until pick No. 48 to get their first shot. Also, they don’t have a fifth-round pick.

So while moving seems like a long shot, the Falcons have some options. And one of them involves tight end Kyle Pitts Jr. However, it doesn’t make sense to move on from Pitts if the team plans to contend this season. And the move to sign quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suggests they do.

The Falcons’ perfect trade doesn’t involve moving up.

Falcons should trade their second-round pick

Acknowledging their predicament, the Falcons and new head coach Kevin Stefanski are in a tough spot because of the legal situation James Pearce Jr. faces. And they likely can’t get anybody at No. 48 — or even moving up slightly — that can replace Pearce’s production from his rookie season.

So, the Falcons have to go for quantity over quality. That doesn’t mean watered down. It just means more.

The Falcons must wait until their pick gets close. Let the wolves get hungry and then make a plan. And the teams they need to target are the Steelers and Patriots. Since the Steelers have excess in the third round, we will target this perfect trade at them.

It is difficult to put together a trade scenario involving a mid-second-round pick when nobody knows what happened to that point. But for the sake of discussion, we will say that the Steelers have their eye on a guy at No. 48.

The Falcons offer pick No. 48 and their sixth-round selection (No. 215) for the Steelers’ last two third-round picks, Nos. 85 and 99, along with two fourth-round picks (Nos. 121 and 135).

Walking away from this trade, the Falcons perhaps give up a shot at a decent linebacker or wide receiver. But they gain two picks. And it will change the scope of their draft.

What can the Falcons get in the third round?

The first thing they will do is enhance the trenches. With that No. 79 pick overall, the Falcons will get Darrell Jackson Jr. of Florida State. He’s right on the edge of being a guy who can capture a starting role, according to NFL.com.

“While he’s an enormous interior presence with impressive physical features, Jackson’s inconsistencies are partially rooted in flawed fundamentals and technique,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “He plays too upright and with inconsistent base width/block take-on, making him more easily cleared from gaps. He might never become a tree stump at the point, but he could see vast improvement in his shed-and-control with quicker hands, improved upper-body power, and a full-time move to odd-front end.

“The tape is uneven with a floor of average backup, but Jackson’s size and length could be considered unmined gold by some teams.”

Unmined gold sounds good at this point in the draft. It’s a bit of a project, but there’s room to work with Jackson.

Back on the clock at No. 85, the Falcons address their cornerback room with Duke’s Chandler Rivers. It’s not size that matters for Rivers, according to The Athletic.

“Rivers turns you off with his size, but then immediately draws you back in with his on-field play,” Dane Brugler wrote. “Rivers is a spirited, undersized cornerback with the fluidity and foot quickness to stay attached in coverage and compete at the catch point. His lack of size will limit his landing spots, but he has a long NFL career awaiting him.”

The picks keep coming for the Falcons

At No. 99, the Falcons have to step outside of the big board box. It’s time to address that wide receiver position. And the perfect specimen awaits in sleeper gold: Mississippi’s De’Zhaun Stribling.

The body matters in this case, according to The Athletic.

“Stribling isn’t the most well-rounded in terms of his route success, but he is a big-bodied athlete with strong ball skills and a pro mindset,” Brugler wrote. “He has the talent and competitive toughness to settle into a WR2/3 role for an NFL offense.”

Already addressing every need except linebacker, that’s where the Falcons must go at No. 121. And Bryce Boettcher of Oregon settles the deal. He’s more of a backup, but can be a nice depth piece, according to NFL.com.

“He’s fearless in his downhill approach, which leads to feast-or-famine results in the run game,” Zierlein wrote. “His size, speed, and athleticism are average, but his competitive will and motor cover some of that up.”

With the second of their back-to-back picks, the Falcons take a shot at another wide receiver in Miami’s CJ Daniels. He could be a valuable WR3 or WR4 down the road, according to NFL.com.

“Daniels has a tremendous feel for creating catch opportunities with varied route tempo, body control, and late separation tactics,” Zierlein wrote. “He will struggle against a quality press and might need to be schemed into releases against certain corners.”

And the Falcons wrap things up with a tight end, giving them maneuverability if they decide to trade Pitts during the season. Michigan tight end Marlin Klein fits the bill. He has starter potential down the road.

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