The 2026 NFL Draft starts tomorrow, with the Atlanta Falcons expected to trade down to acquire more picks. In the final mock draft, they selected Alabama WR Germie Bernard at No. 48 to address their roster needs.
Key points
2026 NFL Draft starts tomorrow evening
Atlanta Falcons have the No. 48 pick
Falcons selected Germie Bernard from Alabama
Team aims to trade down for more picks
Bernard recorded 155 catches and 13 touchdowns in college
Atlanta FalconsGreen Bay PackersNFL DraftGermie Bernard
The 2026 NFL Draft will begin tomorrow evening, but the Atlanta Falcons won't be on the clock until Day 2 - barring an inadvisable trade up into the first round. If anything, the Falcons should be looking to trade down at some point to add more picks.
In our last seven-round mock draft scenario we did that, picking up an extra fifth-rounder in a deal with the Green Bay Packers. That enabled us to hit all of Atlanta's biggest roster needs. Here's how it played out.
Alabama wide receivers have been good to the Falcons historically, so we went back to the well to fill the spot beneath Drake London on the depth chart. Bernard comes with a 9.03 RAS score, including elite speed. He put in one season at Michigan State and one at Washington before transferring to Alabama. All together he put up 155 catches, 2,203 yards and 13 touchdowns in 53 college games.
Trade down with Green Bay Packers
After Round 2, the Falcons are slated to be on the clock again at No. 79 overall. When that time came, we got an offer from Green Bay that was too good to pass on. We traded the 79th pick to the Packers for Nos. 84 and 153 overall, a modest gain of 3.18% more draft capital.
Q&A
What pick do the Atlanta Falcons have in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Atlanta Falcons have the No. 48 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Who did the Falcons select in their final mock draft for 2026?
The Falcons selected Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in their final mock draft.
What are the Falcons' biggest roster needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Falcons are looking to address several roster needs, including adding depth at wide receiver.
How did the Falcons acquire an extra pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Falcons acquired an extra fifth-round pick by trading with the Green Bay Packers.
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With the 84th pick we addressed Atlanta's biggest need on defense, finding someone to fill out their interior defensive line rotation. Halton can't play nose tackle, but the addition of Maason Smith makes that less of a priority. Halton does earn high marks for his college production, though. In 47 games at Oklahoma he racked up 8.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles.
No. 122: Baylor TE Michael Trigg (6-foot-4, 240 pounds)
Whether the Falcons can find a buyer for Kyle Pitts or not, they could use another receiving weapon at tight end, and Austin Hooper isn't the answer at this point in his career. Trigg is coming off a breakout season at Baylor after putting in time at USC and Ole Miss, as well. In 2025 he posted career highs with 50 receptions, 694 yards and six touchdowns.
No. 153: Florida CB Devin Moore (6-foot-3, 198 pounds)
Cornerback depth should also be on the menu or the Falcons, especially one who has the length and size to play the boundary well at the next level. Moore offers that as well as high-end ball skills. In 30 games with the Gators, he posted five interceptions, eight pass breakups and two tackles for a loss.
Inside linebacker should probably be addressed earlier than this, but sometimes the board doesn't fall your way. Boettcher is a solid find for Day 3, though. In 55 games at Oregon he put up 269 combined tackles, including 16 for a loss - to go with four sacks, two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and four forced fumbles.
No. 231: Notre Dame OT Aamil Wagner (6-foot-6, 300 pounds)
The Falcons found a great replacement for Kaleb McGary by signing Jawaan Taylor. However, he's only on a one-year deal, making right tackle a long-term need. With Wagner they at least find some depth, here. His pass blocking grade last season ranked 59th out of 632 qualifying offensive tackles in the nation.
