49ers leapfrog the Falcons to take the No. 3 spot in draft

With the 2021 NFL draft just over a month away, teams are already jockeying for position. The Falcons, who hold the No. 4 overall pick, were leapfrogged in the draft order on Friday afternoon by the San Francisco 49ers.

As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers moved up from No. 12 overall to No. 3 after a trade with the Miami Dolphins.

The 49ers gave up their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, they gave up their 2022 third-round selection (originally reported as a 2021 third-round selection).

Schefter went on to report that San Francisco had been trying to move up for weeks, discussing potential trades with the Falcons and Bengals as well.

Draft experts have consistently predicted Atlanta to trade down. We don’t know what kind of deal with the 49ers may have been discussed, but the lack of a deal doesn’t mean the Falcons won’t still pull off a trade before draft day.

Some others teams that Atlanta could look to trade with are the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and possibly the Carolina Panthers.

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