2019 NFL Draft: Implications of Kyler Murray going No. 1 overall

TRADE:

ATL Receives: 8th pick, 88th pick

DET Receives: 14th pick, 45th pick, 117th pick

Hey a trade!

It’s no secret that the Falcons covet Ed Oliver, but after his impressive pro-day, there’s a slim chance that he’s available by the time they pick at No. 14. If they want Oliver, they’ll have to move up, likely ahead of the Bills, in order to get him.

GM Thomas Dimitroff has made these kind of moves up the draft board before to secure prospects that he covets. The Falcons are armed with nine draft picks this year, so they’re likely to explore options to move up. This would be a relatively small price to pay in order to land a player who could be as much of a difference maker as Oliver, especially if they are able to get a third round pick back as well.

Oliver’s character issues were overblown; he’s still the can’t miss prospect that everyone thought he was coming into the season. He had No. 1 overall pick hype entering the season, and he could be an immediate difference-maker in the NFL, with a ceiling as high as any prospect in this class.

The Falcons need help on every level of their defense after fielding one of the worst units in the NFL a year ago. Atlanta has a talented enough roster to contend in the NFC again in 2019 if they can fill a couple of holes, and Oliver could be a massive addition in the middle.

The Lions would likely be fine with trading back, particularly after seeing Devin White come off the board a few picks ahead of them. They should still be able to get a player near the top of their draft board at No. 14.