It takes at least two seasons to fairly evaluate any prospect after he enters the NFL. That doesn't stop a whole industry of analysts from offering snap judgments about each draft class, though.
When it comes to the Atlanta Falcons, it seems most analysts are not impressed by their haul from the 2026 draft class.
There are a few exceptions, but overall they have gotten poor grades for their picks. Here's a look at the overall GPA for Atlanta and the other 31 teams around the league. The Falcons come in at 2.61. Only five teams earned a lower average for their draft class.
π¨ 2026 NFL Draft Team GradesIn my annual draft grades round-up, I have compiled 24 different evaluations and calculated the GPA for all 32 teams.I sorted the evaluations by GPA as well. From left (soft) to right (hard graders).Thanks to all who give out grades every year! π₯ pic.twitter.com/VysunPaW9H
Without having to read every single set of grades the Falcons got on the internet, we can assume a lot of the doubts center around them having no first-round pick this year - and their first two selections being pretty dramatically undersized at this level.
Avieon Terrell is supposed to be a feistier version of his older brother, but he checks in at just 5-foot-10 and 186 pounds. That means he'll likely be forced into a slot role in the NFL. Meanwhile, Zachariah Branch is even smaller, with measurables of 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds.
Both are quick and come with very solid college production, but it doesn't take much of an imagination to see their lack of size becoming a problem at the next level.
All that being said, we think the size argument is overblown and overall the Falcons put together a pretty good class of picks, especially considering that only one team had less draft capital going in.
It's probably worth mentioning that last ofseason most analysts had the Seattle Seahawks winning no more than eight games in 2025, and they turned out to be one of the most dominant Super Bowl champion teams of the last 25 years.
Bottom line: Atlanta fans should not sweat the grades and reserve judgment on this group until we see how they perform on the field.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: NFL analysts not sold on Falcons' 2026 draft class