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Super Bowl Exposed Major Flaw in Falcons' Draft Strategy

Several former Georgia Bulldog players are Super Bowl champions, which is not a great look for the Atlanta Falcons.

By Jovan Alford

Sep 29, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot on the field before a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Sep 29, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot on the field before a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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Over the last few years, the Atlanta Falcons have made a concerted effort to draft playmakers on offense which isn’t a bad philosophy. The Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr., Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts in the first round.

However, none of those guys are former University of Georgia players. Coincidentally, Atlanta had a chance to take a former Georgia Bulldog in Jalen Carter in the 2023 NFL Draft. But the Falcons took Robinson at No. 8 overall, while the Eagles grabbed Carter at No. 9.

Unlike the Falcons, the Eagles have been keen on adding former Georgia players to their roster over the last couple of years, which paid off with a Super Bowl 59 win.

Before Super Bowl 59, former University of Georgia star and Pro Football Hall of Famer Champ Bailey provided his insights on the Eagles’ draft strategy on This Is Football show with Kevin Clark and threw a quick jab at the Falcons.

“You know, it’s unfortunate the hometown Falcons haven’t gotten on board with this,” Bailey said to Clark. 

The former Georgia standout made it clear that the Bulldogs always have talent and head coach Kirby Smart values the trenches, which has been clear with the success of Carter, Nolan Smith Jr., and Jordan Davis with the Eagles.

“You’re always going to have the most elite defensive lineman come to Georga because of Kirby,” Bailey added.

Based on the lack of production the Falcons got from their defensive line this season, they could have used Carter, Smith Jr., and Davis. 

The Eagles and a few other teams in the league have made it a priority to draft and develop in the trenches, which has paid off. It also helps when you continue to take guys from the same school, who have been taught by one of the best coaches in the sport.

If you are in the Falcons front office, it's inexcusable that you allowed all these top University of Georgia defensive stars to leave the state and get drafted elsewhere. If anything, the Falcons should be the University of Georgia pipeline to the NFL, not the Eagles.

That said, with the Falcons having their franchise QB and playmakers set on offense, maybe they will shock us and get at least one University of Georgia player in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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