Falcons are trying to move up in the 2020 NFL Draft, but for who?

The Falcons currently own the No. 16 pick in this year’s draft. General manager Thomas Dimitroff has indicated that teams have inquired about their interest in potentially trading up, via ESPN’s Vaughn McClure.

Well today, Ian Rapoport said via Twitter, one team that appears poised to make some noise with a move up is the Falcons. They have spent a lot of times evaluating and talking to players who figure to be gone by the 16th pick, and when other teams do their projections, they believe Atlanta will move up.

So the question her is not do they want to move up, we can assume this now, but for who? I think there is one player specific that fits the Falcons mold and that is Isaiah Simmons. Let’s look at a few players the Falcons would want to trade up for. I think it is for a defensive player but I do not think it is Simmons they want. I think they really want to land Chase Young, but they not be able to get him. I also would not rule out one offensive player.

So besides Young and Simmons, who do you think they would move to the top of the draft to select? Well I think you have to look at Falconholics list of players the Falcons have talked to that have been documented already. They have met with tons of running backs, which we do not think they will take that early, but three players jump off the sheet when you look at their list.

Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn – Brown should be a top 5 player taken and if he is there when the Giants pick we will likely see him selected. Which means the Falcons would have to jump the G-Men to get Brown. We know the Lions are interested in trading out of 3, which could get the Falcons in front of the Giants. If they do this, I could see Derrick Brown going third overall to the Falcons, that is if they can come up with the capital to get up to 3.

Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina – If the Falcons miss out on Brown, I think they will go after South Carolina’s Kinlaw. They have met with him twice, once with Phil Emery meeting him and once as an informal meeting at the Combine. Kinlaw is a massive man, and many have him going in the top 10. I could see Kinlaw going early and the Falcons obviously like him, so this would be a no brainer.

Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama – I think the Falcons would be moving up for a defensive run stuffer, but if they do go offense, I cannot see how they would pass on Jedrick Wills. The big and versatile Alabama offensive lineman makes too much sense. The Falcons have some solid offensive lineman, but Wills is an immediate upgrade. I still think they are leaning Defensive Tackle here though.

If Chase Young somehow sneaks past the Redskins at 2, then I could see the Falcons giving up the house to land Chase Young. That is my final prediction. They want to land a top three pass rushing defender.