No. 21: Falcons' best draft class
Favre is bittersweet top pick for Falcons
ESPN Stats and Information has ranked all NFL players drafted in the modern draft (1967-2008) based on their performance during their NFL careers, regardless of how they fared with the team that drafted them. Insider will count down each team's best draft class (seeded 1-32), then conduct a tournament to determine the best class of all time.
For a short explanation of the ranking system, click here, or, for a more detailed rundown of how the system was developed, click here.
Who will advance when the 1991 Falcons meet the 1971 Rams? Vote now!
FALCONS' BEST CLASS: 1991
Reviewing the Atlanta Falcons' drafts is difficult. On one hand, they drafted two of the NFL's greatest players according to ESPN Stats and Information's ranking system. On the other, those two players didn't stick around for their whole careers, and their other drafts don't stand out as much. Drafting one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, then trading him, puts the Falcons in an elite (or not-so-elite) class, depending on how one looks at it.
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TOP NFL DRAFT CLASSES
ESPN Stats & Information has ranked all NFL players drafted in the modern draft (1967-2008) based on their performance during their NFL careers -- regardless of how they fared with the team that drafted them.
TOP TEAM DRAFT CLASSES (in seed order)
- About the rankings
- The Tournament bracket
- Best player countdown: #50-12
- Best Draft years of all-time
- Positions: WR | LB | DL | RB | QB | OL
- Top historical picks from slots 1-5
- Best-ever picks at slots No. 6 -10
- Top NFL coaches - Is Belichick the best?
- Top college coaches - Who preps picks best?
- Top value picks - Brady or Montana?
- NFL Draft by state
- Best non-BCS picks
- Best-ever pick from every school
- 32. Houston Texans (2006)
- 31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1995)
- 30. Carolina Panthers (2001)
- 29. Cleveland Browns (1978)
- 28. Philadelphia Eagles (1988)
- 27. Green Bay Packers (1990)
- 26. Seattle Seahawks (1990)
- 25. New York Jets (1977)
- 24. Kansas City Chiefs (1967)
- 23. Arizona Cardinals (1971)
- 22. Denver Broncos (1983)
- 21. Atlanta Falcons (1991)
- 20. New Orleans Saints (1993)
- 19. New England Patriots (1977)
- 18. Indianapolis Colts (1969)
- 17. Cincinnati Bengals (1980)
- 16. San Diego Chargers (1975)
- 15. Tennessee Titans (1983)
- 14. Washington Redskins (1981)
- 13. Chicago Bears (1981)
- 12. St. Louis Rams (1971)
- 11. Oakland Raiders (1968)
- 10. Detroit Lions (1989)
- 9. Minnesota Vikings (1967)
- 8. Miami Dolphins (1983)
- 7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1995)
- 6. New York Giants (1981)
- 5. San Francisco 49ers (1981)
- 4. Baltimore Ravens (1996)
- 3. Buffalo Bills (1985)
- 2. Dallas Cowboys (1975)
- 1. Pittsburgh Steelers (1974)
NFL DRAFT COVERAGE
- NFL Draft Central | Kiper Index Page
- McShay: Seven-round mock draft
- Kiper: Four-round mock draft
- Kiper Rankings: Off. | Def. | Top Juniors
INSIDER DRAFT COUNTDOWN
- Plugging Holes: NFC E | S | N | W

- Plugging Holes: AFC E | S | N | W

- Why INT rate is the key stat for QBs

- Tuesday With Mel: QB shuffle (4/21)

- Outsiders: Packers run woes done?
- Bowen: How to stop Adrian Peterson
- Schefter: What New York Jets will do at QB
- Kiper: The 5 best offseasons of 2013
- Offseason Grades: AFC | NFC | Kiper on draft

