The NFL Draft is one day away, and we are getting close to finishing our 7-round mock draft series. For those of you who are just tuning in, we at EssentiallySports have been doing one 7-round mock draft a day until we cover all 32 NFL teams. We’ve covered every team with a first-round pick, so now it’s time for teams like the Atlanta Falcons, who probably won’t be picking on day one, barring a trade.

The Falcons traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in last year’s draft to move back into the first round and select James Pearce. He played well but is now facing some legal trouble, and his availability for this upcoming season is currently unknown. They would be picking 13th, but instead, their first pick is slated to come in the second round. But that doesn’t mean they can’t still get some really good players.

Round 2, Pick 48: LB Anthony Hill Jr.

I think NFL teams are overthinking Anthony Hill Jr. I know this class has a lot of great linebackers, but he’s my fourth-rated linebacker in this class, ahead of Jacob Rodriguez (though it’s really close between the two).

Hill has the size you want in a linebacker; he’s 21 years old and has started all three years for Texas in the SEC. For someone his age, he’s played a ton of football and has produced a total of 250 tackles, 17 sacks, and eight forced fumbles. He’s not the athlete Sonny Styles is, but he ran a 4.51-second 40 with a 37-inch vertical, which are really good numbers for a linebacker.

Hill is a guy I could see starting in the NFL for 10 years. He’s going to slip to the second round, where someone like Atlanta could scoop him up and never have to think about taking another middle linebacker for the next decade.

Round 3, Pick 79: DT Gracen Halton

Gracen Halton put up some really solid numbers at Oklahoma the past two seasons, logging 63 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles over that span. This class doesn’t have a lot of impact players at defensive tackle, but Halton is one of the few guys who will make it to round three who still have starter upside.

On top of his production, Halton is also a pretty good athlete. He’s 6-foot-3, 293 pounds, and ran a 4.82-second 40-yard dash with a 36.5-inch vertical and a 9-foot, 6-inch broad jump. Everyone wants to see the flashy 4.3s 40-yard dashes, but running a 4.82 at nearly 300 pounds is impressive.

The Falcons need help at defensive tackle, and Halton is one of the few round three prospects that could actually give them a lot of production.

Round 4, Pick 122: CB Julian Neal

Julian Neal has the ideal size you want in a starting cornerback. He’s 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, and has near-33-inch arms, all of which rank in the 87th percentile or better for his position. On top of that, he’s a very good athlete, running in the 4.4s with a 40-inch vertical and an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump.

And it’s not like Neal isn’t a good corner. In 2025, he gave up a 56 percent completion rate and 346 yards while breaking up eight passes and picking off two more on 48 targets. Teams targeted him heavily, and he held up pretty well. He was a bit of a late bloomer and needs to clean things up, but he’s a very intriguing fourth-round prospect, and Atlanta needs some more depth on the outside of their defense.

Round 6, Pick 215: OT Aamil Wagner

You can never go wrong taking an offensive lineman from Notre Dame. They have a pretty good hit rate, and Aamil Wagner has the production to back it up. During his time at Notre Dame, Wagner gave up 29 pressures and two sacks in 774 pass-blocking snaps. On top of that, in a draft that has a lot of short-arm tackles, Wagner has measured in at 34.5 inches, well over the 33-inch mark teams look for. He’s not a great athlete, but for a sixth-round pick, I’d bet on his production and size.

Round 7, Pick 231: WR Eric McAllister

Eric McAllister broke his foot at his pro day. He was already viewed as a day three pick, but could fall into the seventh round or even be a priority free agent now. He’s very fast for a 6-foot-3 receiver and went for nearly 1,200 yards in his final season at TCU (he has over 3,000 yards in his college career). He’s got a lot of technical things to clean up, but he’s got a ton of upside for a seventh-rounder.