The Pick Is In — Atlanta Falcons 2023 NFL Draft

Liam Blutman and Brendan Heffernan

Howdy folks! Welcome to The Pick Is In! That’s right, we’re back for another run with this experiment and can’t wait to see what our GMs, err, writers can cook up. If you’re unfamiliar with this series, lemme paint the picture for you. Our writers will be stepping up to the plate for a NFL franchise and act as if they have full control of the team on draft day. For each team, we’ll have two or three writers step into the front office and take over as general manager. You’ll see picks made from No. 1 overall to a sixth-rounder, bold picks will be made in unique spots, and trades will be cooked up. To highlight some of our success from 2022, we saw the Bengals trade up to take a star named Tariq Woolen in the mid 40s, the Packers snagged a stud in Jalen Pitre with the 28th overall pick, and with the 98th overall pick, the Saints struck gold with the valuable Zach Tom. This year will be no different. Our GMs will once again be showcasing their unique abilities to find intriguing talent. Whether you know it or not, the draft has already begun and it resumes with The Pick Is In. Welcome to the 2023 NFL Draft. The Atlanta Falcons are on the clock…

Liam Blutman:

The Pick Is In: Grant DuBose WR — Charlotte (TRADE)

grant dubose
Photo Credit: Charlotte Observer

The Atlanta Falcons currently hold the following selections in the 2023 NFL Draft: 8, 44, 75, 110, 113, 224, and 225. I get to use one of these picks to draft whoever I want. I hold a lot of power. I can’t believe that the Falcons franchise trusts me with this. With this power, I’ll actually be making a trade in which we acquire a fifth-round pick, and this is where I’ll be drafting Grant DuBose.

After picking up athletic specimens in Kyle Pitts and Drake London, the Falcons can add another pass catcher with freak athleticism. We can do it on Day 3 and land DuBose, who possesses a 8.79 RAS, per MathBomb. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound receiver ran a 4.57 40 but crushed the 10-yard split with a remarkable time of 1.52. DuBose is a strong dude and has an impressive build. He plays with plenty of determination and passion. Grant plays with a ton of JUICE! He wins over the middle often and makes for a tough tackle after the catch thanks to his frame and ability to play through contact. He even does a swell job of taking ideal angles to run around a defender. Then his athleticism helps him a ton downfield, and DuBose can be seen making diving catches on the regular. I love his blend of speed and size in addition to excellent tracking skills. No ball is out of his reach. The tape speaks for itself! Grant’s a bit underrated as a route-runner. I think he does a very good job of running crisp routes, and he’ll throw in a slick hesi at times. He’s smooth, and he just wins!

It wasn’t long ago that football didn’t look like it held a future for Grant DuBose. At Miles College in 2019, he played in 10 games and had just eight catches for 104 yards. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and plenty of lives were affected. Miles College didn’t play football in 2020, so DuBose was without football and ended up working three jobs, including one at Walmart in 2020. He was just a 19-year-old kid. Fast forward to the summer of 2021 and DuBose is trying out for Charlotte because backup QB James Foster encouraged him to do so. Charlotte was so impressed with Grant that he not only made the team but got the opportunity to play right off the bat. DuBose smoked Duke for 118 yards and two touchdowns on just four catches in his debut at Charlotte… The rest was history. Now he’s just days away from seeing his dreams come true and being able to tell his family, “We made it.”

Grant DuBose is an easy kid to root for, and it will be a great moment for whoever drafts this young man. It’s my hope that our Atlanta Falcons follow my lead and draft DuBose in real life. His future is bright!

Brendan Heffernan:

The Pick Is In: Marte Mapu DB — Sacramento State (4th Round, 110th Overall)

Marte Mapu
Photo Credit: Sacramento State Athletics

Depth on the backend of Atlanta’s defense is an issue that the Falcons will need to address in this year’s draft, so they should be on the lookout for versatile pieces to add on Day 3 of the draft. Marte Mapu is one of the most unique players in this draft and could develop into a highly valuable chess piece for whichever defense takes a swing on him.

Mapu lined up at safety and nickel during his final season at Sacramento State, in which he earned First Team FCS All-American honors and the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year award while blossoming into one of the most impactful defenders in the FCS. He started his career at linebacker for the Hornets, and he currently sits without a clear projection on where he’ll line up at the next level.

Mapu is huge for the safety position, measuring in at over 6-foot-2 and weighing 217 pounds at the Senior Bowl. The Falcons have their starting duo at safety locked in with Jessie Bates III and Richie Grant, but the depth behind them isn’t great. Mapu presents enough intriguing possibilities to be well worth a Day 3 flier.

Mapu has an outstanding motor and will do really well in man coverage against tight ends and as an underneath zone player. His long speed isn’t outstanding which gives me some pause about him playing a traditional deep safety role in the NFL, but he has enough juice in other parts of his game to make sense for a team looking to add depth. He also projects to be an above average run defender and blitzer in the pros.

The Falcons have shown they aren’t afraid of bringing in projects to develop behind the scenes, drafting toolsy linebacker Troy Andersen in the second round last year. I also expect Mapu to be an immediate standout on special teams, which is another offseason need for Atlanta. If Andersen doesn’t work out in his first season as the full-time starter at linebacker, Mapu could also step up and take some reps inside the box for Atlanta.

About the author

Liam Blutman
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I am a diehard UCLA fan that has enjoyed (?) mediocrity year after year. My favorite CFB moment was witnessing UCLA comeback from 34 down against Texas A&M. Being at the Rose Bowl for that historic moment is something I’ll never forget. I have written about CFB since I was 14 and my favorite thing to do is give under-the-radar athletes the recognition they deserve. You might know me from @NoContextCFB !

Brendan Heffernan
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