Atlanta Falcons

The 10 most important players on the Atlanta Falcons

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:00 a.m. ET

Sports Illustrated

1. WR Julio Jones (48 points)
2. LB Vic Beasley (33)
3. CB Desmond Trufant (32)
4. RB Devonta Freeman (29)
5. C Alex Mack (28)
6. S Keanu Neal (27)
7. LB Deion Jones (21)
8. DT Dontari Poe (19)
9. T Jake Matthews (17)
10. RB Tevin Coleman (seven)

There was a brief moment, as the first three NFC South ballots landed, that Julio Jones looked headed toward a unanimous No. 1 ranking. The final two voters (Jonathan Jones and Vrentas) broke up the party, placing Alex Mack atop the Falcons' list. Both ballots had Jones in the No. 2 slot, hence his final 48-point total. Mack did not fare as well elsewhere, settling for a fourth-place vote (Single) and a 10th-place (Kaplan), on top of his No. 1s.

Only so many spots to go around, but count it as a bit against the odds that Keanu Neal and Deion Jones fell outside the top five. Jones secured a No. 2 ranking (Single), but was no higher than fifth on any other ballot; Neal had a No. 3 (Kaplan), not enough on its own to leapfrog him over top of Mack.

Jacob Feldman defends his decision to rank Donari Poe at No. 2: Dan Quinn has a reputation for developing defensive lineman, and Poe might be the most physically talented player he's had a chance to mold. But after a disappointing season in KC, it's unclear if he's the solution to the Falcons' interior d-line problem.

Other Falcons players receiving votes: T Ryan Schraeder (four points), CB Robert Alford (three), WR Mohamed Sanu (three), DT Grady Jarrett (two), DE Ra'Shede Hageman (one), K Matt Bryant (one)