The Atlanta Falcons allow the NFL to overlook a talented 2025 NFL Draft prospect, and capitalize on the fall at a major position of need
There was no questioning what the Atlanta Falcons were trying to accomplish during the 2025 NFL Draft, improving the defense under head coach Raheem Morris. Of the five draft picks they had, four of them came on the defensive side of the football. That included pass rushers Jalon Walker (Georgia) and James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), […]
There was no questioning what the Atlanta Falcons were trying to accomplish during the 2025 NFL Draft, improving the defense under head coach Raheem Morris. Of the five draft picks they had, four of them came on the defensive side of the football. That included pass rushers Jalon Walker (Georgia) and James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), and safeties Xavier Watts (Notre Dame), and Billy Bowman Jr. (Oklahoma). The safety and EDGE positions were clearly top priorities for the organization.
One other position that wasn't prioritized, at least during the draft, was cornerback. AJ Terrell has been locking down one cornerback spot for years, but the other spot opposite of him is very unsettled. As of today, Mike Hughes is projected to be the other starter. Clark Phillips III, Mike Ford Jr., and Keith Taylor are a few of the other names in the room. You would think, at least on paper, that would be a spot to potentially upgrade.
There is an interesting name to know for the cornerback battle, but the addition weirdly came after the draft was included. The Falcons signed former Kansas star Cobee Bryant as an undrafted free agent. a player who had been projected to be a potential top 150 draft selection. It was pretty odd to see Bryant not only fall, but not to be selected altogether.
From a talent perspective, there is a lot to love about Bryant. Despite being a lighter cornerback at around 180 pounds, he is an incredibly tenacious player that has some upside at both nickel and outside at cornerback. Bryant also possesses really nice short area movement skills, football IQ, and ball skills. Some will wonder why Bryant has gone so far under the radar.
According to several sources, the fall for Bryant might have come from some issues that arose during the interview process with several NFL teams. When you combine that with the fact that Bryant tested below average for his size, that fall continued to get more severe. That could, however, end up being a tremendous value for the Falcons long term.
It appears that Bowman may begin his NFL career as a nickel for Atlanta. Could Bryant press for some reps inside? Is he talented enough to compete for playing time outside? There is no question. It will be interesting to see if Bryant can make some noise this offseason, and take advantage of his opportunity.
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