The Falcons should draft a wide receiver; 'The Beast' breaks down their best options

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Despite what Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday. “You can always add more players to every room, but I feel really, really good about where we are (at wide receiver),” Stefanski said as his new team opened Phase 1 of its offseason program. The Falcons have seven wide receivers on the roster at the moment — Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, Casey Washington, Chris Blair, Dylan Drummond and Deven Thompkins. London, Dotson and Zaccheaus are the top three in that group, but the depth gets thin after that. Washington, Blair, Drummond and Thompkins had 16 catches combined last year and have 44 combined in their careers. Last year’s Falcons coaching staff carried three proven pass catchers into the season last year (London, Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud), and it proved to be a bad plan almost immediately. Mooney was injured on the first day of training camp and never got up to full speed, McCloud fell out of favor and was released midseason, and London missed five games due to a knee injury. With Mooney and McCloud gone now, the Falcons added Dotson and Zaccheaus in free agency, but those two combined for only 57 catches last year. So, with lots of help from “The Beast,” an assist from Derrik Klassen at “The Athletic Football Show” and one hint from Stefanski, we’re going to dig into 10 wide receivers the Falcons could add in the draft. Based on the current makeup of Atlanta’s wide receiver room, Klassen believes they should be focused on a Z-receiver type who can consistently line up outside the numbers and win downfield — and also pick up easy screen yards. Stefanski’s input comes from something he said about why the Falcons added Dotson and Zaccheaus to the room. “I think so much of it is finding dominant traits that players have and adding them to the room,” he said. So, with those landmarks as our guide, here are the receivers Atlanta should be looking at, in order of Brugler’s rankings. Brugler’s ranking: No. 41 overall, No. 7 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-foot-1, 206-pound former Alabama receiver “projects as a starting Z receiver and as an NFL team’s second or third option,” according to Brugler. That’s exactly what the Falcons need. Bernard does not have a dominant trait, but he’s good at everything and fits perfectly with new general manager Ian Cunningham’s plan to raise the floor of the team’s talent. There are no can’t-miss prospects, especially in the second round, but Bernard can play outside the numbers and also be used in the screen and run games. He had five rushing touchdowns in his career. Just a good football player, with a well-rounded, pro-ready skill set. Brugler’s ranking: No. 47 overall, No. 8 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-2, 222-pounder from Louisville is a risk for early 2026 because of an ACL tear he suffered in November, but he expects to be ready for training camp. Bell’s blocking is questionable, and he has drawn 16 penalties in the last three seasons, many of which were unsportsmanlike conducts due to what Brugler describes as a “very emotional” personality. So, why would a team pick him in the second round? Because he’s big and explosive with tons of yards-after-catch potential. A rare NFL combination: big, strong and explosive. Should start when he’s healthy. Brugler’s ranking: No. 72 overall, No. 13 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-4, 206-pounder made a top-30 visit to the Falcons’ facility, and he didn’t have to go far. Hurst played his final two seasons at Georgia State after two years at Valdosta State. He has some work to do to develop his game, but he would be an immediate deep threat. Nobody in major college football had more 20-plus-yard catches in the last two years than his 34, and his 4.42 40-yard dash time feels even faster when he hits the open field. Will face a steep learning curve, but boasts exciting upside as a downfield threat. Brugler’s ranking: No. 76 overall, No. 14 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 5-9, 177-pounder from Georgia is the great nephew of former Raiders great Cliff Branch. He wouldn’t fill Atlanta’s need for an outside Z receiver, but his suddenness and speed (4.35 40-yard dash) make him a dangerous weapon in the screen game and the run game. More than 80 percent of his catches last year came within 9 yards of the line of scrimmage, so he may never be a complete receiver. But his athleticism with the ball in his hands definitely counts as the kind of dominant trait Stefanski is looking for. He told NFL Network he had a top-30 visit scheduled in Atlanta. A speedy catch-and-run receiver who can do more than he was asked to — but how much more? Brugler’s ranking: No. 90 overall, No. 16 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The brother of Chargers backup quarterback Trey Lance, the 6-3, 204-pound Bryce has the speed (4.34 40-yard dash) and ball-tracking skills to be a deep threat. He’s not a fully developed prospect, but he has shown the willingness to be a good blocker and was a team captain last year at North Dakota State after turning down lucrative transfer offers. A “Freaks List” alum who requires some polish; projects as a rookie backup. Brugler’s ranking: No. 96 overall, No. 17 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-4, 198-pounder comes out of a Tennessee program with a bad track record for transitioning wide receivers to the NFL, but his physical gifts are going to get him a shot somewhere. With 4.37 40-yard dash speed and an 80-inch wingspan, he would be an immediate threat even if it did take him some time to develop into a complete wide receiver after taking only one snap from the left side of the formation in college last year. An immediate deep threat who moves well for someone his height, but a long way to go. Brugler’s ranking: No. 23 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-3, 187-pounder could end up being the Costco version of Carnell Tate, nearly as good and a lot less expensive. He spent three years at Miami (Ohio) before transferring to Texas Tech, where he had six touchdown catches but five drops. Brugler describes Virgil as a “tall, silky-smooth athlete with … long-striding speed and adequate ball skills,” and that feels like a good profile for the fifth round or later. Brugler’s ranking: No. 24 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-4, 200-pounder from USC will have to get stronger and doesn’t have enough special teams background to give himself an easy way to make a roster, but he has 10 1/2-inch hands, a wingspan of more than 80 inches and an easy athleticism that gives him a chance to develop into a contributor. Nine of his 18 career touchdowns came in the red zone, so that’s a plus. Brugler’s ranking: No. 26 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-5, 216-pounder had a nice Senior Bowl week to get on a lot of radars and then ran a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. After spending four years at Division II Lindenwood, he was honorable mention All-Big 12 at Cincinnati last season. Brugler’s ranking: No. 28 wide receiver Why he’d fit: The 6-2, 220-pounder had 121 catches for 1,626 yards in the last two seasons at Baylor. He’s very strong (395-pound bench and 528-pound squat), but he didn’t do any speed testing at the combine or his pro day, and pro teams are worried about his separation skills. There are no perfect prospects in the sixth round, though, and his production makes him intriguing. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Josh Kendall , a Georgia native, has been following the Falcons since Jeff Van Note was the richly bearded face of the franchise. For 20 years before joining The Athletic NFL staff, he covered football in the SEC. He also covers golf for The Athletic. Follow Josh on Twitter @JoshTheAthletic