Draft week is a nerve-wracking time for prospects, but for one Georgia star, it included a trip to the county jail. Just days later, a $6.3 billion NFL franchise decided the talent was worth the risk. But what exactly happened, and why were the Atlanta Falcons so unfazed?

Basically, Zachariah Branch was arrested in Athens just five days before the draft. The arrest occurred early Sunday morning, April 19, following Georgia’s G-Day spring game. Around 12:18 a.m., Athens-Clarke County police were attempting to clear a large crowd outside Cloud Bar on East Clayton Street. The bar was closing, but individuals were still trying to enter. According to the police report, an officer gave Branch multiple verbal commands to move from the sidewalk to allow customers to exit.

According to the report, he didn’t move fast enough and supposedly “smirked” at the officers, so they booked him for misdemeanor obstruction. People were joking that he basically got arrested for having a “poker face.” He was only in jail for about two hours and was released on a tiny $39 bond. Since it wasn’t a violent crime or something involving drugs or alcohol, most NFL teams didn’t seem too bothered by it. They mostly saw it as a kid being stubborn on a busy night in a college town.

The arrest created noise, but it did not wreck his value. Branch was still seen as a Day 2 prospect, and Atlanta’s decision shows the Falcons treated the incident as a concern, but not as a reason to back out. They had already done their homework on him with a top-30 visit and knew his character. So they waited until the third round and snatched him up at the 79th pick.

Truth be told, it was actually as pretty smart a move as it gets. They got a first-round talent at a discount because some other teams might have been nervous about the last-minute news. Branch set a record at Georgia with 81 catches for 811 yards last season, and he recorded a 4.35-second 40-yard dash. Of his 811 yards, 78% came after the catch.

Atlanta was still getting one of the draft’s most explosive receivers in space, and can use him in the screen pass game. A lot of Branch’s damage came after the catch, which helps explain why a team would stay interested even after a bad week of headlines. He had 634 yards after the catch last season, one of the best marks in the FBS.

Branch is joining a wide receiver room that already has Drake London and Kyle Pitts. He’ll likely start as their main slot receiver and return specialist. Not to mention, the Falcons already selected his Dawg brother, DT Christen Miller (No. 48). At the end of the day, while the arrest was a wild way to start his pro career, it looks like it’s going to be just a weird footnote in what could be a really explosive rookie season in Atlanta.

Now that the Falcons have officially added some power to their offense, the focus for Day 3 is going to be all about the “dirty work” positions.

Atlanta Falcons Day 3’s very much needed positions to fill

The Atlanta Falcons still have three picks left to work with today: No. 122 in the fourth round, No. 215 in the sixth, and No. 231 in the seventh. Here’s where they’ll probably go from here.

Interior Defensive Line (Big Nose Tackle): This is arguably the team’s biggest remaining gap. The Falcons had one of the worst D-lines last season, and they were pretty sad to watch. Scouts have pointed to guys like Darrell Jackson Jr. from Florida State or Chris McClellan from Missouri as potential targets who could fit right into the interior rotation.

Offensive Tackle (Long-term Blindside Protection): Even though the team has Jawaan Taylor as a bridge, they need some insurance at offensive tackle. Since they are rolling this season with two left-handed quarterbacks, Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, needless to say, the right tackle spot is actually the most important “blindside” protector. Even though they don’t need a Week 1 starter today, Dametrious Crowner of Texas A&M is the best pick they can get.

Inside Linebacker Depth: The Falcons lost a key leader when Kaden Elliss left in free agency. Although they’ve got Troy Anderson, they could leap here. Regardless, fascinating to see how Atlanta approaches the final stretch of this draft.