ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 28: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after passing for a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium on October 28, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
A quarterback-needy NFC team is reportedly looking to trade up in April’s 2024 NFL Draft, with North Carolina’s Drake Maye on their radar.

According to a report from Cam Marino of NFL Draft Buzz, the Atlanta Falcons are hoping to move up in the draft for a quarterback. Marino stated that the former Tar Heel superstar is “the apple of their eye”.

Marino predicts that the Falcons will ultimately trade up for Maye. Assuming the Chicago Bears take USC’s Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick, Atlanta would probably have to snag the No. 2 pick (via the Washington Commanders) to get Maye.

Williams and Maye are widely regarded as the No. 1 and No. 2 quarterback prospects, respectively, for the 2024 Draft. That said, some scouts and analysts believe that LSU’s Jayden Daniels will end up going before Maye.

The Falcons were held back by inconsistent quarterback play again in 2023, with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke combining for only 17 touchdown passes against as many interceptions. The Falcons finished 7-10 for the third straight year, leading to the dismissal of head coach Arthur Smith.

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Moving up in the draft for a quarterback is easier said than done, of course, and the Falcons certainly won’t be the only team looking to move up for a player like Maye. So it’ll be interesting to see how the draft order shakes up as the other QB-needy teams try to map out their offseason gameplans.