At a glance: An already-stacked offense got even deeper when the Falcons spent their first two draft picks on the offensive line. Developing those new pieces alongside a plethora of play makers makes for a scary offense. But the team didn't address its biggest concerns - cornerback and pass rush depth - until the middle rounds. But Kansas City last year showed how explosive offense can almost outweigh a sub-par defense.
Atlanta's first round picks in this year's draft weren't flashy - especially after the team's biggest free agency signings were offensive linemen Jamon Brown and James Carpenter - but grabbing two new offensive linemen further addressed what head coach Dan Quinn called the team's biggest need after 2018. With so much talent at the skill positions for new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to play with, Atlanta should again compete for the league's best offense in 2019. The Falcons offense ranked 6th in 2018 while Koetter was in charge of the third best offense, Tampa Bay.
But taking a flyer on mid-round cornerbacks won't help solidify the holes left by Brian Poole and Robert Alford in the off-season. The team expects last year's second round pick, Isaiah Oliver, to fill the spot opposite Desmond Trufant but has little depth behind him if it goes wrong.
Also worrying is Atlanta's pass rush depth. Fourth-round pick John Cominsky could compete for a starting place on the defensive line but he had just three sacks in 2018. If he does carve out a role, it would mean Takk McKinley could move inside -- where he is more natural.
DRAFT PICKS (per ESPN)
1.14 Chris Lindstrom OG
1.31 Kaleb McGary OT
4.09 Kendall Sheffield CB
4.33 John Cominsky DE
5.14 Qadree Ollison RB
5.34 Jordan Miller CB
6.30 Marcus Green WR
ORIGINAL COVER PHOTO: AJC.com
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