When the Falcons added tight end Hayden Hurst, running back Todd Gurley and wide receiver Laquon Treadwell to the roster earlier this offseason, people noted that they could fill out an entire 11-man offensive unit with players who entered the NFL as first-round picks.
They’re getting closer to being able to say the same thing on the defensive side of the ball.
Linebacker Deone Bucannon became the second first-rounder to join the defense when he signed as a free agent on Thursday. The 2014 Cardinals first-round pick joins trade acquisition Charles Harris to give the Falcons 17 first-round picks on their current roster.
Seven of those players have joined the team this offseason. Bucannon, Harris, Gurley, Treadwell and Hurst are joined by defensive end Dante Fowler and cornerback A.J. Terrell, who became part of the crew during the first round of this year’s draft.