The 10 most important players on the Atlanta Falcons
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)
