Disclaimer: The statements and opinions regarding players and/or potential future players in the article below are those of the AtlantaFalcons.com editorial staff and are not of the Atlanta Falcons' football personnel unless noted in a direct quote.

Editor's Note: This is the first of three separate seven-round mock drafts that will be published by the Atlanta Falcons' editorial team ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Mock drafts have always been a funny thing to me.

We're all aware that virtually every single one of them will turn out to be wrong, and there's oftentimes not that much difference between them when viewed more broadly. And yet, they are still one of the best parts of draft season. Why is that?

My true answer involves the phrase "gamification of information," which is absolutely not what you're here for, so I'll just cut to the chase: They help us learn, have fun and argue. I hope you'll do all three over the next several minutes or so.

The one thing this is guaranteed not to be is 100% accurate, so the reasoning behind each pick may be more important than the actual prospect. Having said that, let's start building a darn good rookie class.

Here is my first and only seven-round mock draft for the Atlanta Falcons:

First round - Pick No. 15: DE Mike Green

I do believe the Falcons will seriously look at the trade opportunities available to them, but I have a lot of conviction that Green will be a good player in the NFL. I loved what I saw from him at the Senior Bowl, and he comes equipped with a great set of pass-rush tools. Green can be an impact player right away and has potential All-Pro upside. You can find a pass rusher to fit any style in this first round, and while he might not have the arm length Jeff Ulbrich has historically coveted, Green plays with an attitude I like and is a disrupter through and through.

Players still on the board: S Malaki Starks (Georgia), LB Jalon Walker (Georgia), LB Jihaad Campbell (Alabama), CB Will Johnson (Michigan), DE James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), DE Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M)

Second round – Pick No. 46: TRADE

Atlanta Falcons send to Cincinnati Bengals

• 46 (2^nd round)
• 218 (7^th round)

Cincinnati Bengals send to Atlanta Falcons

• 49 (2^nd round)
• 119 (4^th round)

After electing to stay at pick No. 15, I did want to try and move back a little bit in the second round to accumulate another pick, especially since I like a lot of the players still available. This trade is loosely modeled off Atlanta's move up to get Ruke Orhorhoro in 2024, when the Falcons sent picks No. 43 and 79 to the Arizona Cardinals to move up to pick No. 35. In this case, the Falcons' get a fourth-round pick from the Bengals to move back three spots and allow Cincinnati to get their preferred defender – Landon Jackson.

Players still on the board: DE Landon Jackson (Arkansas), DE Jack Sawyer (Ohio State), Derrick Harmon (Oregon), CB Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky), CB Shavon Revel (East Carolina), DT Darius Alexander (Toledo), CB Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)

Second round – Pick No. 49: CB Maxwell Hairston

Hairston was a player I had my eye on at pick No. 46, so I'm thrilled to see he's made it past a few more teams. It's no secret that Hairston has been a favorite of mine throughout draft season, but I did go back and forth much more than I expected between him and Shavon Revel for this pick. Revel is a super-athletic corner with the ability to play in the box. A leg injury dampened his buzz last year, but he likely would have been a first-rounder otherwise. The reason I chose Hairston over Revel, though, is because of the former's abilities in zone coverage. If Atlanta plays zone at the rate it did last year, Hairston looks to be a better fit.

Players still on the board: CB Shavon Revel (East Carolina), DT Darius Alexander (Toledo), CB Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), S Kevin Winston Jr. (Penn State), TE Elijah Arroyo (Miami), DE Jared Ivey (Ole Miss), CB Darion Porter (Iowa State)

Fourth round – Pick No. 118: DE Sai'Vion Jones

I'm taking a targeted approach on Day 3 and adding some depth pieces who will be part of the rotation immediately while hopefully developing into a bigger role down the road. Jones fits that description and then some. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound edge rusher has the length and strength to push the pocket at the next level. He is an urgent and violent hand fighter with the agility to bend the corner and win on the outside. Jones has all of the tools to translate to the next level, and I'm happy to land him here. A quick side note: I nearly went with Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr., because I believe he's going to be a great player in the NFL, but I just couldn't do it with the limited number of picks Atlanta has.

Players still on the board: TE Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green) OT Anthony Belton (N.C. State) DT JJ Pegues (Ole Miss), DT Rylie Mills (Notre Dame), CB Mello Dotson (Kansas), DE Quandarrius Robinson (Alabama)

Fourth round – Pick No. 119: WR Tory Horton

Wide receiver might seem like an odd position to go with here, but I do believe the Falcons could add an offensive player or two if they are able to add more picks. That's the case with Horton, who I think has a shot to go on Day 2. Horton is over 6-foot-2, weighs 196 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds. He had back-to-back seasons with more than 1,100 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2022 and 2023 but sustained a season-ending knee injury last October that cut his final year short. Horton is expected to make a full recovery and adds both downfield speed and leadership qualities to this offense. He also had punt return touchdowns in three consecutive seasons and could fill that role in Atlanta. Horton would be a perfect fit for the Los Angeles Rams' passing game, which is why I like him here.

Players still on the board: LB Barrett Carter (Clemson), OG Willie Lampkin (North Carolina), OT Jalen Rivers (Miami), CB Zy Alexander (LSU), LB Jack Kiser (Notre Dame)

Seventh round – Pick No. 242: S Malachi Moore

Not many late-Day 3 picks make an impact on Sundays, but Moore has the tools to be a contributor for Atlanta. He also fits the model for Falcons sixth- and seventh-round picks under Terry Fontenot — a player from a top-tier program who logged a lot of playing time. At Alabama, Moore played a similar role as Brian Branch, a hybrid nickel/box safety role that has become essential for modern-day defenses. He flies downhill in a blink and his fearless as a run defender. Although he's limited as an overall athlete, Moore has the competitive demeanor to stick on an NFL roster. Atlanta experimented at times with that position last year but the personnel never truly felt like it aligned. Moore would be another player who fits that archetype alongside DeMarcco Hellams and Kevin King.

Players still on the board: LB Smael Mondon Jr. (Georgia), LB Karene Reid (Utah), OG Timothy McKay (N.C. State)