This Team Called Falcons About No. 4 Overall Pick In 2021 NFL Draft

Despite plenty of speculation leading up to Day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft, there ultimately were no fireworks at the fourth overall pick.

The Detroit Lions tried to create some, however.

The Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday shared a mini-movie of their draft experience, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at what went down with the organization over the span of the three-day event. The premier highlight of the video comes moments before the Falcons selected Kyle Pitts at No. 4. First-year general manager Terry Fontenot receives a phone call, and an Atlanta staffer can be heard in the background saying, “Got Detroit on the line.”

The conversation, at least how it’s portrayed in the mini-movie, is a brief one. Fontenot tells the caller, “It’s the same as what we talked about,” presumably noting the Falcons weren’t going to move off their set asking price for the fourth pick. Fontenot proceeds to wrap up the call and Atlanta selects Pitts.

It’s unknown who the Lions might have been targeting at No. 4. Detroit already has one of the NFL’s better tight ends in T.J. Hockenson, but two-TE sets are becoming increasingly popular. A pair of wide receivers — Ja’Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle — were taken with the two picks before the Lions landed offensive tackle Penei Sewell at No. 7. One can assume Detroit had its eyes on Pitts, Chase or Waddle, as it would have been able to select one of the top remaining QBs — Justin Fields and Mac Jones — at No. 7.

Providing new starting signal-caller Jared Goff with a bonafide playmaker would have been nice, but it never hurts to stabilize your O-line with top-tier talent.