Falcons address biggest needs in new 7-round NFL mock draft

The Atlanta Falcons have just five picks to make in the 2026 NFL Draft, so they have to make them count. Last year, the team traded its first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to move up for James Pearce Jr. in a move that hasn't exactly aged well.

First-year general manager Ian Cunningham vowed to never go into a draft with just five picks again, but for now, he must clean up the mess left by former Falcons GM Terry Fontenot. In our latest seven-round mock draft, we attempted to hit all of Atlanta's biggest roster needs, including wide receiver and defensive tackle, without trading down for more picks. Here's how it turned out.

Pick No. 48: Texas Tech DT Lee Hunter First things first, Atlanta absolutely has to bolster the interior defensive line rotation. With that in mind, we used the first pick on Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter (6-foot-4, 325 pounds).

While his athletic scores leave something to be desired, Hunter has the size and lower body power to play nose tackle well at the next level. In 52 career college games Hunter posted 7. 5 sacks and 32 tackles for a loss.