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With the 2020 NFL Draft right around the corner, meaning that a new class of potentially game-changers and Hall of Famers are about to hit the league. For the Atlanta Falcons, they are hoping that whatever player they take can help them win the first Super Bowl in their franchise's history.
The Falcons are among the list of 12 teams in the NFL that have yet to win a Super Bowl. Nonetheless, that doesn't mean that Atlanta hasn't had a slew of talented players for them over the years.
Even though they haven't had consistent success in recent seasons, some of Atlanta's best players of all time are currently on the team. Taking that into consideration, here are the best draft picks in Falcons history.
Keith Brooking
Back in the early 2000s, there was a remarkable group of linebackers who were playing in the NFL. From Ray Lewis to Derrick Brooks, the NFL didn't have a shortage of All-Pro linebackers.
While he wasn't as talented as those guys, Keith Brooking is a forgotten name outside of Atlanta. The Falcons selected Brooking with the No. 12 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft out of Georgia Tech.
Throughout his 11 years with the Falcons, Brooking accumulated 1,133 combined tackles and 12 interceptions. Brooking was able to make five Pro Bowls and his 888 solo tackles are the third-most in Atlanta's history.
Mike Kenn
It's never flashy for an offensive lineman to be one of the best players for an NFL team. Even though some people may want to see Michael Vick or Steve Bartkowski, Mike Kenn deserves a spot on this list ahead of them.
Nearly 40 years ago, the Falcons selected Kenn with the No. 13 pick in the 1978 NFL Draft. The offensive tackle out of Michigan would become a mainstay on Atlanta's offensive line for 17 years.
While manning the left tackle spot for 17 seasons, Kenn made five Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro. In addition, Kenn was extremely reliable, starting in more than 10 games in 16 of his 17 seasons with the Falcons.
Deion Sanders
The story of Deion Sanders getting drafted in the 1989 NFL Draft is legendary, with him informing the New York Giants that he wouldn't be available at the No. 18 pick. He also refused to take a written test for the Giants in the pre-draft process.
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While the Giants wanted Sanders, the Falcons ended up with the Florida State cornerback with the No. 5 pick. Despite the fact that Sanders spent just five seasons in Atlanta, he was absolutely dominant for all of them.
Altogether, in his five years in Atlanta, the electric cornerback notched 24 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns. Along with his defensive touchdowns, Sanders scored another seven touchdowns with Atlanta (five return touchdowns, two receiving). Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Matt Ryan
Looking at Atlanta's history at quarterback, they haven't had much success at finding franchise quarterbacks. However, that changed when they selected Matt Ryan with the No. 3 pick of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Since Ryan joined the Falcons in 2008, Atlanta has had one of the best passing attacks in the NFL. Just 12 years into his career, Ryan has thrown for 51,186 yards, 321 touchdowns and 147 interceptions.
As for individual accolades, Ryan has been selected to four Pro Bowls and won the NFL's MVP trophy in 2016. To illustrate how much better Ryan has been than previous quarterbacks in Atlanta's history, you could combine the next four leading passers in Atlanta's history and they barely have more yards than Ryan.
Julio Jones
Just a few years after landing Ryan, the Falcons were able to find his go-to wide receiver. Early in the 2011 NFL Draft, Atlanta lucked out in getting Julio Jones with the No. 6 pick in the first round.
By looking at it from a pure talent standpoint, Jones is one of the most gifted players to ever play in the NFL. Additionally, Jones has produced the numbers to cement himself as one of the best wide receivers in today's NFL, catching 797 passes for 12,125 yards and 57 touchdowns in nine seasons.
While he's already Atlanta's all-time leader in receiving yards, he's right behind Roddy White in receptions and receiving touchdowns. Ultimately, Jones is probably going to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the best receivers of his era to play in the NFL.
