Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Falcons Get ‘Next Micah Parsons’ in ESPN 7-Round Mock Draft
The NFL Draft is four weeks away with the first round starting on Thursday April 24th. It’s widely expected that the Atlanta Falcons address their defense after pouring heavy resources into the other side of the ball in general manager Terry Fontenot’s four-year tenure.
The Falcons’ have needs at every level of their defense where a top-draft pick could come in and contribute early, but it’s the historically-anemic pass rush that has been a glaringly-obvious hole for years.
The NFL Draft Class of 2025 is littered with potential pass rushers, and ESPN’s Matt Miller took the gloves off with his latest mock draft. No simple first-round mock for Miller; he goes a full seven rounds, and has the Falcons finally addressing the pass rush in the first round at No. 15… sort of.
The Falcons Podcast: Spotify | Apple Pods | iHeart
Miller has Atlanta choosing Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell at No. 15, an interesting decision considering the only true edge rusher off the board when the Falcons pick is Penn State’s Abdul Carter at No. 2 to the Cleveland Browns.
The Falcons shored up their linebacker room with the signing of Divine Deablo in free agency. However, Miller makes a compelling case that it’s not the inside linebacker spot that makes Campbell so tantalizing. It’s the thought of him transitioning mostly to edge the same way Micah Parsons did in the NFL.
“With only five picks, the Falcons are under pressure to find defensive playmakers in this draft,” wrote Miller on ESPN+. “Campbell is exactly that, a versatile player who has scouts torn when discussing his ultimate position. He is a top-tier linebacker but has untapped pass-rush potential (five sacks in 2024) that could define his NFL career.
“Every NFL team is trying to find the next Micah Parsons, and there’s hope Campbell could be that as a 3-4 outside linebacker.”
One of the reasons Parsons fell to the Cowboys at No. 12 in 2021, was he was seen more as an inside linebacker with elite traits. Dallas moved him primarily to edge, and the rest his history. In a re-draft, the Parsons might go No. 1 overall ahead of Ja’Marr Chase and Trevor Lawrence (yes, the league is still quarterback crazy).
Mock drafts are most interesting to see who might be available when your team is on the clock. Miller has the Falcons bypassing edge rushers Mike Green (No. 16 Cardinals), Shemar Stewart (No. 29 Commanders), Mykel Williams (No. 31 Chiefs) as well as safeties Nick Emmanwori (No. 17 Bengals) and Malaki Starks (No. 19) among others.
The Falcons had a large contingent of personnel at Green’s pro day this week, and Green didn’t disappoint. Fontenot would love to have the problem of making a difficult choice among several-good options.
He has publicly expressed a desire to trade back and secure more picks for the Falcons, and with so many players available at No. 15, that might be the best option if the right deal presents itself.
But if the Falcons strike gold with Campbell the same way at No. 15 as the Cowboys did in 2021, it would go a long way towards a long-term fix for a pass rush that has been lacking consistency since John Abraham last wore a Falcons uniform in 2012.
It’s not just about getting to the quarterback though. The Falcons are short-handed at defensive tackle and in the secondary as well. Miller has the Falcons addressing the former with massive Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins at No. 46.
“Don’t be surprised if the Falcons use all of their picks on defense,” Miller forshadows on ESPN+. Atlanta could address the front here with Collins, who broke out in 2024 after patiently waiting behind Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat at Texas.
“The 6-foot-6, 332-pounder can play all over the defensive front and has room to grow. His quickness off the snap and backfield chase ability indicate pass-rush upside. But he’s stout enough against the run to see snaps at 1-technique and could even start in Year 1.”
Even with Grady Jarrett, who was cut by the Falcons at the start of free agency, the Falcons lack size and physicality. There’s high hopes for second-year man Ruke Orhorhoro, but he’s a gap-splitting pressure player at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds rather than a lane clogger.
Miller gets an edge for the Falcons in the fourth round, double dipping in Texas with Longhorns standout Barryn Sorrell. He had 44 tackles and six sacks last season.
With two picks in the seventh round, Miller has the Falcons adding depth to their offensive line in Kentucky center Eli Cox at No. 218 and Clemson guard Marcus Tate at 242.
It’s hard to be critical of any picks in the seventh round. Just making the roster isn’t guaranteed at this point, but safety Dan Jackson (No 225) and linebacker Shemar James (No. 228) of Georgia and Florida respectively, are just two players that could be available when the Falcons’ number comes up on Day 3.
In Miller’s seven-round mock draft, the Falcons are able to get three-probable contributors, all in their front seven. There’s no help in the secondary at cornerback, which remains a big need, or safety, which became less dire after signing Jordan Fuller in free agency.
With no third-round pick and a lack of available salary cap space, the Falcons weren’t going to fill every hole this offseason, but Miller does a good job of addressing two crucial needs in the first-two rounds with the potential to hit the jackpot in Campbell.
Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -5.5; over/under is 216.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 113-102 on Saturday, led by 28 points from Jalen Brunson. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 26.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference games. New York has a 9-4 record in one-possession games.
The Hawks are 27-25 in Eastern Conference play. Atlanta is third in the league scoring 18.1 fast break points per game. McCollum leads the Hawks averaging 5.0.
The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks’ opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games.
Dyson Daniels is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.3 points and 2.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 40.7 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 117.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.0 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: day to day (oblique), Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (elbow).
Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks prediction, pick for Game 1 of 2026 NBA Playoffs first round
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks matchup in the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA playoffs are officially underway with a loaded opening round. Taking place in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the New York Knicks.
You can check out the full series preview on DraftKings Network here.
Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks enter as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hawks are +205 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 218.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference series opener.
Hawks vs. Knicks prediction, preview
The Atlanta Hawks went through a midseason transition, moving on from Trae Young after he headlined the production for the franchise for the past eight years. The Hawks have not missed a beat amid the major midseason shakeup, finishing as the sixth seed in the conference with a 46-36 overall record. On the season, Atlanta has gone 44-38 against the spread, and the game total has gone 41-41 to the over/under.
Jock Landale is the only player set to miss the matchup tonight. Jalen Johnson headlines the production, posting averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had a breakout season in a new location, adding 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. CJ McCollum adds 18.7 points and 4.1 assists across his first 41 games with the organization, while Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Jonathan Kuminga, and Zaccharie Risacher also play notable roles.
Quin Snyder’s group scores 118.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against Atlanta, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank ninth in defensive rating, 18th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage.
The New York Knicks entered the season with legitimate title aspirations. They have had some notable ups and downs, but now face this opportunity. New York finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and sit in third place in the East. The Knicks have gone 44-39 against the spread, and the game total has gone 38-45 to the over/under.
The Knicks enter this matchup with a clear injury report and a large sample size of the team playing together. Jalen Brunson headlines the production with 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitches in 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists of his own. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are responsible for the production at the wing positions, while Josh Hart sets the tone for this team from a hustle standpoint. New York also did an impressive job building out the bench unit this season, with players like Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Tyler Kolek capable of serving as X-factors off the bench.
As a team, the Knicks are scoring 116.5 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. New York also ranks third in offense rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against the Knicks, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in defensive rating, fifth in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Hawks vs. Knicks pick, best bet
These are two teams at different stages of their timeline, but neither will be afraid of this playoff spotlight. The Knicks pushed their chips in around this core and are hoping to be rewarded for it. They fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals last year and have made the postseason in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back years and turned a new page direction with Jalen Johnson now leading the charge. Without Trae Young, the Hawks now lean on more of a defensive-minded identity and have a roster loaded with athleticism.
During the regular season, these teams faced off three times. They split the first two matchups, which took place on December 27th and January 2nd. New York picked up a narrow 108-105 victory in the most recent game, which took place on April 6th. Both sides were aware that this was a potential postseason matchup, and this game had some major seeding implications. It was an evenly matched game in which neither team was able to extend a lead beyond 10 points, and the rebounding battle was separated by just one board. The biggest discrepancy came with the Knicks shooting 50% compared to the Hawks shooting 40%, and New York outscoring Atlanta 52-34 in the paint.
While there are higher expectations for this Knicks team in the postseason outlook, the Hawks stack up fairly well in this matchup. Jalen Brunson will be at the heart of the offensive attack for New York. But his biggest weakness is when he is guarded by high-level athletes with a size advantage over him. The Hawks have built out a roster loaded with this archetype of player, and there is not a clear matchup for Brunson to hunt in most lineup combinations.
Brunson has enough experience and savvy to will settle in over the course of the series. But expect some growing pains in the early parts of this matchup, and for this to be a huge hurdle for this Knicks team. I am backing the Hawks to cover the 5.5-point spread and would not be shocked if they steal the opening game. This is a series in which neither side should be expected to pull away by major margins throughout. Count on Atlanta to have defense success and have a clear gameplan for limiting the impact of Brunson. Expect this matchup to come down to the wire and take the points in the series opener.
Best Bet: Hawks +6.5 (-112)
-
Health6 minutes agoExperts reveal why ‘nonnamaxxing’ trend may improve mental, physical health
-
Sports12 minutes ago‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42
-
Technology18 minutes agoiPhone and Samsung flashlight tricks you should know
-
Business24 minutes agoDavid Ellison hits CinemaCon, vowing to make more movies with Paramount-Warner Bros.
-
Entertainment30 minutes agoLarry David discusses ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ ‘Seinfeld’ legacies and new HBO series
-
Lifestyle35 minutes agoNine non-negotiable items for a well-designed life
-
Politics42 minutes agoSupreme Court weighs phone searches to find criminals amid complaints of ‘digital dragnets’
-
Sports54 minutes agoRyan Ward has a solid debut, but bullpen blows it again as Dodgers lose to Rockies