Few were surprised when the Falcons selected tight end Kyle Pitts in last month’s draft with the No. 4 overall pick. Not only was Pitts arguably the second-best player in the class, the big-bodied offensive target made sense for Atlanta with wide receiver Julio Jones potentially on his way out.
Whether or not the team receives a first-round pick in return, it’s a near certainty at this point that Jones has played his last game in a Falcons uniform.
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards gave us an early look at the 2022 NFL draft in a mock he based on this year’s Super Bowl odds. Picking at No. 12 overall, Atlanta lands a potential Jones replacement in Joseph Ngata, a 6-foot-3 wide receiver out of Clemson.
“The ceiling for Joseph Ngata is actually higher than it appears,” writes Edwards. “He was limited last season, but the flashes on film suggest that he is going to break out with a larger target share.”
Ngata’s first two seasons at Clemson haven’t exactly produce eye-popping numbers (24 catches, 323 receiving yards and three touchdowns), but he figures to play a bigger role in 2021.
A glimpse of things to come 👀@DJUiagalelei ➡️@josephngata pic.twitter.com/fjVq6CBaa4
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) April 7, 2021
