Best Atlanta Falcons all-time draft pick: Cornerback
If it’s one thing the Atlanta Falcons are good at, its finding talent in the cornerback position.
They’ve drafted players such as Deangelo Hall and Desmond Trufant, who were dominant and some of the best corners during their prime years. They also found diamonds in the roughs like Brent Grimes, who was signed as a undrafted free agent.
Those three were solid at the position, but if we’re talking about the best to ever do it in a Falcons uniform?
Deion Sanders takes the throne.
With the 5th pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, the Falcons took their chances on a cornerback out of Florida State. From there the rest is history.
Sanders main position was cornerback, but he also played as a punt returner as well. In his first game, he ran a punt back 68 yards for a touchdown. In 1992, he led the NFC in kickoff return yards.
In his five seasons with Atlanta, Sanders caught 24 interceptions. He scored 10 touchdowns, 3 of which were on defense, 3 on kick returns, 3 on punt returns, and 2 as receptions. At that time, Sanders was probably one of the most versatile, dynamic players in the NFL.
During his tenure in Atlanta, he also wanted to become the first athlete to play two different sports in the same day. After a Falcons game he flew to Pittsburgh for the Braves Championship Series game, but ultimately he didn’t play that night.
Sanders was definitely “Prime Time”, which is probably why he was given that nickname. From the high stepping in the end zone, to the never ending trash talking to opposing receivers, Sanders will always be one of the best draft picks at cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons.
In his career, Sanders has been to 9 Pro Bowls, won two Super Bowls, and in 2011 was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
It’s not hard to find Prime Time nowadays, as he’s an analyst on NFL Network. You can also see him on the jumbo screen during Falcons games hyping up the crowd. He’ll continue to have a special place in Falcons history.
