NFL Draft Mock 5.0: Two-round mock, post-free agency
By Ian Cummings
For a long time, the Atlanta Falcons hadn’t needed to worry about their right tackle slot. Since 2014, it had been occupied by Ryan Schraeder, who, if not a Pro Bowl tackle, was the next best thing.
Schraeder gave the Falcons security for five years, but after a down season in 2018, the soon-to-be 31-year old was released, and now, the Falcons need to perform maintenance on their most important offensive unit.
Keeping Matt Ryan clean is a priority if Dan Quinn’s Falcons want to get back to the postseason in 2019, and the best way to keep Ryan clean, after losing Schraeder, is to draft Alabama’s Jonah Williams if he drops to the No. 14 pick.
Williams has been pegged as a candidate to move to guard in the NFL by many, but the former five-star recruit played tackle in college, and he played it at a high level. With nimble, methodical feet, and precise, powerful hands, Williams asserts all of his strength and leverage onto his opponents, and his ability as a technician compensates for his short wingspan, and makes him a very safe pick with the upside to lock down the edge for a decade.