The first round is over, and predictably, the Falcons did not try to jump up and make any picks. They’ll be on the clock tomorrow night, though, which we’re very much looking forward to.
Here are a few impressions and takeaways from the first night’s festivities.
The NFC South got better, regrettably
There are question marks, certainly. Will a relatively raw Monroe Freeling be a strong starting tackle? Will Jordyn Tyson stay healthy? Will Rueben Bain’s tiny arms doom him? You can ask all those questions, but I tend to think all three players are at least quality NFL starters, and they unfortunately landed with Atlanta’s rivals.
Freeling may take time to pay off, but Tyson helps make the Saints passing attack a bit scary again, and Bain is just a scary player with the talent and motor to be a top-shelf pass rusher. I liked all three picks in a vacuum, but I hated them for the teams that made them for obvious reasons.
The Raiders try again
Some teams just keep spinning the quarterback carousel. Our Falcons have done so in recent years, the Jets will do so into eternity, and the Browns are probably in the same boat. The Raiders are hoping to get off that carousel, however.
Fernando Mendoza will probably get them there. I like the Matt Ryan comparisons I’ve seen both because of Mendoza’s smarts and anticipation and because the big knocks on him tend to be around the number of negative plays and turnovers he’s had; the latter were really only an issue in 2023 with Cal. Those were the same concerns that once put me off Ryan coming out of college, and just like Ryan proved to be well-rounded and adaptable enough to overcome those, I think Mendoza will as well.
If not, hey, the Raiders are no stranger to taking another spin.
Poor Tyler Allgeier
He left hoping for a deserved lead back opportunity, but he’ll be playing behind the #3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Cardinals followed through on their rumored decision to draft Jeremiyah Love, the clear top runner in this class, and now he’ll once again be the second fiddle for a guy who might be one of the league’s top options.
That’s how the league works, of course, but Allgeier has done nothing but avoid costly mistakes, run well, and be an excellent teammate since he got the NFL. I was hoping for a chance he won’t get now.
There were a lot of surprises!
Ty Simpson at #13, with the Rams feeling they had to get a quarterback and believing their coaching staff can turn Simpson into a starter. Love to the Cardinals at #3, given their previous investments in running back. Carnell Tate at #4 to the Titans when they had so many other needs. A massive run on tackles. The Eagles, famously patient, moving up because somehow WR Makai Lemon had fallen into their neighborhood. The first round was actually surprising to me, which feels a bit unique given that huge surprises are usually both A) few and far between and B) in recent years, caused by something our Falcons did.
It made for a livelier night given that the Falcons didn’t have a pick, which was welcome for those of us following along with no real stakes in how the evening unfolded.
There’s plenty of talent left for the Falcons
The massive run on tackle may have dented any dreams Atlanta had of solving that issue on day two, but they’re going to get on the clock with quality players available. Tre’Shon Diaz will have a more complete list in the morning, but suffice to say guys like Jermod McCoy at cornerback (even with his injury concerns), Denzel Boston at wide receiver, and Jacob Rodriguez at linebacker would be great fits if they fall to Atlanta. Let’s hope someone great does.