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Every team is excited about their incoming class of rookies, but how will those new players affect each team in 2026?
Let's look at the Atlanta Falcons, breaking down the most likely instant-impact rookies from their class while also providing some insight into why certain early picks may not see the field.
Atlanta Falcons 2026 Draft Class: Which Rookies Will Make an Impact?
The Falcons were without a first-round pick due to their trade up for James Pearce Jr. last year, an unfortunate parting gift from since-fired GM Terry Fontenot. New GM Ian Cunningham still came away with a first-round talent in cornerback Avieon Terrell (second round), pairing him with older brother A.J. Terrell in the Falcons secondary.
Terrell slid to the second round in part due to concerns about his size, but his production at Clemson is hard to ignore. Terrell was a starter for most of his three years at Clemson, allowing a catch rate 26% below expected based on route-adjusted numbers over the course of his career. Terrell might compete with Mike Hughes for a starting job opposite his brother, but if that doesn’t pan out, a clearer path to the field could be in the nickel corner role. Dee Alford is gone, and Billy Bowman Jr. struggled in the nickel role as a rookie, potentially giving Terrell a clear path to that job.
Zachariah Branch (third round) looked like a luxury pick for a team with too many needs to justify selecting such a limited playmaker. Branch is an undersized gadget weapon with limited potential beyond making some plays on screens and other underneath routes. The selection was especially odd given the free agency addition of Olamide Zaccheaus. Perhaps Branch can be a better version of Zaccheaus, but finding a minor upgrade at a niche position in the third round is a poor use of draft capital.
Based on route-adjusted data, Branch generated 7.4% more yards after catch than expected during the course of his career at USC and Georgia, and that rate never climbed higher than 8.8% in any individual season. Those aren’t poor numbers, but they are underwhelming given his role and the fact that YAC production is supposed to be where he provides the most value. During the 2025 season at Georgia, 46% of Branch’s targets came on screens, and he will likely see similar usage in Atlanta.
Kendal Daniels (fourth round) was a four-year starter on both sides of the Bedlam Rivalry, starting his career at Oklahoma State and closing it out at Oklahoma in 2025. The 6-foot-5, 242-pound Daniels played safety in college but will almost certainly transition to linebacker in the NFL. The biggest concern for Daniels is his tackling. A 14% broken or missed tackle rate during his one season at Oklahoma is a red flag, though Atlanta likely believes it can correct those issues while working with the coaching staff at his new position.
Defensive tackle Anterio Thompson (sixth round) is a gamble based purely on his testing numbers. Thompson started his career in the JUCO ranks and played at four schools over the last four seasons, failing to make his mark at any of them. Posting a 4.73 time in the 40-yard dash at 306 pounds opened some eyes at his Pro Day, however, and the Falcons will try to figure out how to turn that athleticism into production.
Harold Perkins Jr. (sixth round) is another traits-based selection, but also another player without an ideal position. Perkins was a terror as a pass rusher early in his career at LSU, but he transitioned to an off-ball linebacker role after his freshman year, much to the dismay of LSU fans. Perkins never lived up to expectations after the position switch, though an ACL tear that wiped out most of his junior year was a factor. Atlanta was one of the ideal landing spots for Perkins due to coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s high blitz rate. Perkins blitzed on 21% of his snaps against the pass last year, generating an impressive 23% pressure rate.
Ethan Onianwa (seventh round) is another gamble based on size and athleticism. The 6-foot-7, 331-pound lineman showed some promise early in his career at Rice, but then failed to win a starting job at Ohio State after transferring for the 2025 season.
Although Cunningham can’t be blamed for the loss of the first-round pick, it appears as though he came away with only one starter and a couple of depth pieces from his first draft class. That’s an underwhelming haul for a franchise hoping to turn the corner and snap an eight-year postseason drought.
This analysis continues in the 2026 Football Preview
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