Two Atlanta Falcons make the PFF50 list
Well, there’s the obvious and the not-so-obvious.
Pro Football Focus released its entire PFF50 list on Wednesday, ranking the top 50 players in the NFL before the 2020 season.
Julio Jones, of course, appeared on the list as the league’s best receiver and No. 3 overall player.
But the second and only other Falcon to make it wasn’t Matt Ryan or Alex Mack.
Grady Jarrett slotted in at No. 32.
As part of a sluggish front line for Atlanta last season, Jarrett rose above his teammates. He racked up 12 tackles for loss and a career-high 7.5 sacks. Here’s what PFF’s Sam Monson wrote about him:
“The league is loaded with dominant interior defensive linemen at the moment, but even in that landscape, Grady Jarrett stands out as a force. Last season was a career-year for him, and he notched 46 total pressures and 40 defensive stops. Jarrett has excellent grades against both the run and as a pass-rusher in each of the past two seasons. He’s been right up there with the best interior defenders in the league not named Aaron Donald.”
Jones posted another excellent year in 2019, with more than 1,300 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
“Julio Jones is the most productive pass-catcher in football at a time when that skill has never been more valuable. Over the past three seasons, Jones leads all receivers in yards per route run, a statistic he led the NFL in for four straight years. Over almost any time span you choose, he is the league’s leader in receiving yards gained and has now had five straight years with a PFF grade above 90.0, with the three seasons preceding those above 80.0. Jones is the best receiver in the NFL, and he climbs further up the all-time lists with each passing season.”
The list was topped by one of Jarrett’s defensive tackle peers, Aaron Donald. Patrick Mahomes ranked No. 2, and the New Orleans Saints’ Michael Thomas finished as the second-best wide receiver and the sixth-best overall player.
