B
Atlanta Falcons
Grand theft in slot 89: the Falcons steal Branch and grade out a B.
by JC ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 6 steals
· 1 reaches
Somewhere a general manager is explaining how Zachariah Branch got past him. The Falcons do not have to explain a thing at the 89th overall pick.
Leaving offensive lineman unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. The Muhammad pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at offensive lineman, quarterback and other spots.
If Jamison-Travis pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
They let D'Angelo Ponds come to them and pounced at slot 57. A minor itch, scratched.
Taking Eli Stowers in the 79th pick is close to grand larceny; a tight end that good had no business lasting this long. The roster fit checks out.
Zachariah Branch at No. 89 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went cornerback with Malik Muhammad while clear needs at offensive lineman, quarterback and other spots sat open.
Bobby Jamison-Travis in the 197th overall pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A clean, defensible pick in pick No. 231 with a little surplus value in Andre Fuller. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Isaiah Nwokobia slid further than he should have, and Round 7, Pick 23 is lovely value for the safety. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
The board had Dane Key higher than pick 241, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.