It’s time for my Atlanta Falcons mock draft 2.0, and this version has a theme. I’m taking the team at its word. The Falcons have said they are open to trading down in the first round to add more draft picks, so I traded down. They also said at the NFL combine in Indianapolis that they intended to use all 45 formal interview slots on defensive players. If they’re going to ignore offensive players, I will, too.

That leaves us with this mock draft in which I added only one pick to their current count of five, but I came out with four picks in the top 100 rather than the two the Falcons have right now.

Round 1, No. 19: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Also available: Georgia safety Malaki Starks, Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, Georgia edge Mykel Williams, Tennessee edge James Pearce Jr.

This is a controversial pick because it required passing on three good pass rushers and it involved a trade with a division rival. (The Buccaneers took Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker at No. 15. We knew you’d want to know.) The reason for starting at cornerback is that the Falcons need that position almost as much as they need edge rushers, and the edge rusher group is much deeper. The pickings for cornerback in the second round could be slim if they don’t grab one here.

Barron, 5-foot-11 and 194 pounds, went into the combine No. 40 on Dane Brugler’s Big Board but moved into the first round of Brugler’s latest mock draft after running a 4.39 40-yard dash, broad jumping 10 feet 3 inches and looking smooth in drill work in Indianapolis. He has coverage versatility, he’s a physical presence in the run game and he could slide right into the starting lineup.

Falcons mock draft reaction: Is Jalon Walker too good to be true for Atlanta?

Round 2, No. 46: JT Tuimoloau, edge, Ohio State

The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder wins with power, and his 33 3/4-inch arms will appeal to coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Some NFL teams worry Tuimoloau doesn’t have an elite trait, but he played 55 games in the last four years for one of the best defenses in college football, and he had 12 1/2 sacks last season. Tuimoloau is not a clean-cut fit at outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, but he should be a force in the league if used correctly.

I don't think JT Tuimoloau gets enough credit for how impactful he was (stats and tape) during OSU's National Title run.

Round 2, No. 64: Kyle Kennard, edge, South Carolina

With our first bonus pick, we’re doubling down at edge rusher and going with the 6-foot-4, 254-pound Kennard, who could plug right in at outside linebacker. Admittedly, this is a risky pick. He didn’t test well at the combine (4.73 40-yard dash), and he spent four quiet years at Georgia Tech before transferring to South Carolina, where he had a breakout season in 2024, notching 11 1/2 sacks.

Round 3, No. 92: Smael Mondon Jr., LB, Georgia

Also available: Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins, Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant, South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr.

The hardest player to pass on here was Collins, who is massive (6-foot-6, 332 pounds and arms that are almost 35 inches long), but Atlanta needs an inside linebacker because Nate Landman is a restricted free agent and Troy Andersen hasn’t proved he can stay healthy for a full season.

Mondon played 51 games for the Bulldogs, and although he never filled up a stat sheet, he showed up often against some of the country’s best competition.

Round 4, No. 117: Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State

Richie Grant and Justin Simmons are free agents, and Demarcco Hellams is coming off a season-ending ankle injury. The Falcons need a safety, and I wonder if this is more of a draft priority than any of us think. Reed, 6 feet tall and 211 pounds, wouldn’t be available in the fourth round if he were a sure thing, but he’s a willing and effective run defender, which is a good place to start. He helped himself at the combine, where he ran a 4.49 40-yard dash.

Round 7, No. 244: Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DT, Georgia

Atlanta shouldn’t need a defensive tackle after taking Ruke Orhorhoro in the second round and Brandon Dorlus in the fourth round last year, but Ingram-Dawkins is worth a shot here. The 6-foot-5, 276-pounder broad jumped 10 feet 4 inches at the combine. He didn’t have a lot of production at Georgia, but he was a regular in the lineup in the final three seasons and could be an NFL starter with the right development.