Handful of Falcons make Pete Prisco’s top 100 NFL players for 2018

“Uncle” Pete Prisco over at CBS Sports, a longtime defender of the Atlanta Falcons, has included a couple of members on the team’s roster on his list of the best NFL players at the moment.

WR Julio Jones (13), QB Matt Ryan (41), DT Grady Jarrett (53), C Alex Mack (66) and LB Deion Jones (89) all make Prisco’s slate, with his reasoning for each selection below.

J. Jones - He remains one of the top receivers in the league. But he does need to catch more touchdowns.

Ryan - His numbers were down some from his 2017 MVP season, but there were reasons for it, including a new offensive coordinator. He played better than the perception of his game.

Jarrett - He has emerged as one of the best inside players in the NFL. His quickness is as good as any down player in the league.

Mack - He had another good season for the Falcons, especially blocking for the run. He turns 33 this year, so he’s getting up in the years.

D. Jones - He made big strides in his season season. I would expect an even bigger jump in 2018.

He listed team DE Vic Beasley, DE Takk McKinley, RB Devonta Freeman and S Keanu Neal in his “Just missed” portion of the list’s representatives.

We see the five featured in the top 100 quite frequently in these types of rankings, and for good reason. While you can make a case that Neal should’ve been up there, it’s good that Prisco was so inclusive of the Falcons he did mention. We don’t often get this kind of notoriety on groupings like this.

You could make a case that RB Tevin Coleman, CBs Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford and FS Ricardo Allen all should get some looks here, too, but it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

Prisco is everybody’s cranky sports opining force, but indeed, he’s always been ready and willing to recognize Atlanta when they do good. He’s consistent in that, and here, that reflects itself.

So, thanks, Uncle Pete! Can’t wait to see you at Football Thanksgiving.