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Atlanta Falcons All-PFF Team: The best players of the past 20 years
By Nathan Jahnke
  • Three dominant offensive eras unite into one lineup: The offense blends elite playmakers across a 20-year span, combining early icons Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White with 2016 Super Bowl star Julio Jones and modern cornerstone assets Bijan Robinson and Drake London.
  • Tyson Clabo secures a heavily contested right tackle battle: In a strict efficiency debate featuring three linemen with over 5,000 franchise snaps, Clabo earned the starting nod over Ryan Schraeder and Kaleb McGary due to superior grades in both pass protection and run blocking.
  • Desmond Trufant headlines a deep perimeter cornerback group: Trufant locked down the premier outside spot on the strength of a class-leading 90.0 overall PFF grade across 6,243 snaps, while A.J. Terrell Jr. used his extensive structural longevity to edge past Brent Grimes for the remaining role.

As part of PFF's celebration of 20 years of NFL data, we're building an All-Star team for every franchise, highlighting the best players at each position from the PFF era. This installment turns to the Atlanta Falcons.

PFF's database dates back to the 2006 NFL season, providing a unique lens for evaluating and comparing players across eras. More details on the methodology used to construct these teams are available at the bottom of the page.

Offense

The Falcons' offense has peaked three times over the last 20 years. They fielded a consistent top-10 unit early in Matt Ryan's career from 2008 to 2012. They then had the clear top offense in 2016, when they scored 540 points and reached the Super Bowl. Over the last few seasons, they have had the pieces of an excellent offense but haven't had the right quarterback.

This team draws from all three eras, led by Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White from the early period, Julio Jones from the dominant 2016 offense and Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. from the current group.

The only competitive position was right tackle, where Tyson Clabo, Ryan Schraeder and Kaleb McGary each played more than 5,000 snaps, while no other player logged more than 1,500. While all three had the necessary longevity, Clabo earned higher grades than the other two in both pass protection and run blocking, giving him the edge.

Defense

Atlanta has spent most of the last 20 seasons with a below-average defense, with 2017 as its only season to rank in the top 10 in both points and yards allowed. While there might not be any future Hall of Famers on this list, John Abraham and Grady Jarrett at least belong in the Hall of Very Good.

The position with the most depth was outside cornerback, where 10 different players logged at least 2,000 snaps. Desmond Trufant was an obvious selection, as he played the most snaps among the group (6,243) and earned the highest PFF grade (90.0). The debate was between A.J. Terrell Jr., who played well across 5,838 snaps, and Brent Grimes, who graded slightly better but played roughly half as many snaps. Grimes started only two full seasons for Atlanta, and three of his four Pro Bowl selections came with the Miami Dolphins. That gave the edge to Terrell.

It is also worth noting that four of the 12 players were on Atlanta's defense in 2025, although both David Onyemata and Kaden Elliss changed teams this offseason.

Methodology

Selections were based on normalized PFF grades adjusted by season. To balance peak performance and longevity, only a player's five best seasons with a franchise from 2006-25 were considered. Any season with an overall PFF grade below 60.0 was excluded, ensuring that strong years helped a player's case while weaker seasons were not held against him. Postseason play was included, though all seasons were capped at a 16-game equivalent to maintain consistency across eras. At each position, the player with the highest score under this methodology earned the spot.

Each team consists of 12 offensive and 12 defensive players. Because 11 personnel and nickel defense were the league's most common alignments over the past two decades, those personnel groupings served as the foundation for every roster. Teams received either a second tight end or a fullback, depending on whether they used more 12- or 21-personnel. Defensively, teams received either a third interior defender or a third linebacker depending on whether they primarily operated from a 3-4 or 4-3 front.

Players who logged significant snaps at multiple positions during their tenure with a franchise were eligible at either spot. In most cases, those players were assigned to the position where they provided the greatest value, though their versatility occasionally influenced the final roster construction.

Unlike some All-Pro teams that group offensive linemen by position type, these rosters were built according to where players actually lined up. If a team's two best tackles both played exclusively on the left side, only the top left tackle was selected. One of the three wide receivers and one of the five defensive backs was also required to have significant slot experience. In a 4-3 defense, one linebacker needed experience at the Sam linebacker position, while in a 3-4 defense, one defensive tackle needed experience at nose tackle.

When multiple players are listed at the same position, the first name represents the top selection. Players designated as slot wide receiver, slot cornerback, nose tackle or Sam linebacker were selected specifically for those roles rather than as the third-best player within their broader position group.

Call the Right Play for Every Life Stage. Western & Southern Financial Group.
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