ESPN NFL draft analysts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates came together a week before the draft to discuss the intel they have heard about the direction teams could go in this year's draft. One of the questions asked to these three analysts was which team's first-round pick could shock everyone on draft night. Yates chose the Atlanta Falcons as their team to watch to surprise everyone on night one.
Outside of the three quarterbacks at the top of the draft, I'd venture to guess that no player has been mocked to a specific team as frequently as Turner has been paired with the Falcons. So with that in mind, anything but Turner to Atlanta at No. 8 would qualify as a surprise. The fit makes too much sense for me to discount it, factoring in Turner's traits and the Falcons' massive need. But there are other options Atlanta could reasonably consider at that spot, including cornerback or wide receiver depending on how the board falls.
In the article, the Falcons are the only team in the top ten listed in this category, and it's because they have so many avenues they could pursue. The Falcons can use this pick to take the best corner in the draft to line up opposite A.J. Terrell. Or they could get one of the top three receivers in this draft that gets pushed down due to the amount of offensive talent at the top.
Atlanta at eight is one of the first true unknowns in this draft, making it a perfect spot for a trade-down. This freedom is another reason the Falcons went and got quarterback Kirk Cousins. Having the stability, even with the inherent risk of a 36-year-old coming off an Achilles injury, at the quarterback position allows you to continue to build up the roster however new head coach Raheem Morris and his staff see fit.
