Falcons pre-draft starting lineup projection with player grades

TL;DR

The Atlanta Falcons traded Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jacksonville Jaguars for Maason Smith ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. This move addresses their need at nose tackle while they continue to prepare for the draft.

Key points

Atlanta Falcons traded Ruke Orhorhoro to Jacksonville Jaguars
Falcons acquired defensive tackle Maason Smith
Smith was not a starter for the Jaguars
Falcons still plan to target a DT in the draft
Christen Miller is a popular mock draft projection

Atlanta FalconsJacksonville Jaguars

The Atlanta Falcons ended the Ruke Orhorhoro experiment on Friday, trading the former second-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for defensive tackle Maason Smith. With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a week away, we thought it would be a good time for some pre-draft starting lineup projections.

Smith was not a starter for the Jaguars and had largely fallen out of the rotation by the end of the season, however, a fresh start and new role could help the former LSU standout turn his career around in Atlanta.

The Falcons had a need at nose tackle, and while we still expect them to target a DT in the draft, this trade makes it so they won't have to reach for one. Georgia's Christen Miller has been a popular projection for Atlanta in mock drafts, but who knows if he will still be available at pick No. 48.

With that said, here's a look at the Falcons' pre-draft starting lineup projections on offense, defense and special teams, including PFF player grades for each starter.