PFF grades all six of the Falcons’ 2023 draft picks

The Atlanta Falcons made their final pick in the 2023 NFL draft on Saturday evening and it won’t be long until the team starts signing undrafted free agents. In total, the Falcons selected six players, three on each side of the ball.

While Atlanta came away with arguably the draft’s best non-quarterback prospect in Texas running back Bijan Robinson, not everyone agreed with the team’s decision to take him with the No. 8 overall pick.

Thus far, the Falcons’ draft grades have been all over the map. Pro Football Focus gave out grades for all six of Atlanta’s draft choices. Check out what PFF had to say about each individual selection.

Bijan Robinson PFF Draft Grade: "Average"

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Teams wouldn’t usually receive an “average” grade for taking a running back in the top 10, but it’s hard to dislike this pick too much, given how good Bijan Robinson was in 2022. An impressive athlete at 220 pounds, he set a PFF college record with 104 missed tackles forced in 2022, producing a 95.3 PFF grade in the process.

Matthew Bergeron PFF Draft Grade: "Average"

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Bergeron is a nimble tackle with a very in-control play style. He played significant time at both tackle spots for Syracuse but could kick inside to guard for Atlanta. Bergeron needs to have more of a killer mentality and better hand usage, but this is a good fit for the 6-foot-5, 318-pound lineman.

Zach Harrison PFF Draft Grade: "Average"

Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

The Falcons addressed some of the holes along their defensive line in free agency, but it’s still a group that could use more young talent. At 6-foot-6 with 36-plus-inch arms, Harrison is now one of the longer edge defenders in the NFL. He’s just not likely to make an immediate impact as a pass-rusher, given the lack of bend and a clear pass-rush plan he showed at Ohio State.

Clark Phillips PFF Draft Grade: "Very Good"

Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Phillips is undersized (5-foot-9 with arms just over 29 inches long) and a below-average athlete. That’s not a great combination and why he’s slid to this point in the draft. However, Clark is a physical, savvy coverage defender who can compete for a role in the slot with Atlanta. He tallied six interceptions and four pass breakups in his final season with the Utes, allowing a 68.4 passer rating into his coverage.

DeMarcco Hellams PFF Draft Grade: "Average"

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Hellams is a stout run defender, earning an 86.8 grade in 2022 and forcing seven incompletions, which ranked in the top 25 among safeties.

Jovaughn Gwyn PFF Draft Grade: "Average"

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY

Gwyn is an undersized guard who put up 34 reps on the bench press and earned a very respectable 76.0 pass-blocking grade in 2022. He’s an interesting fit in the Falcons offense with limited lateral movement ability.

2023 Atlanta Falcons draft class

Recapping all six picks from the Atlanta Falcons’ 2023 NFL draft class https://t.co/wTJlSlSj71

— The Falcons Wire (@TheFalconsWire) April 29, 2023

Twitter Reactions

Twitter Reaction: Falcons fans were thrilled after the team drafted Utah CB Clark Phillips III in Round 4 https://t.co/EbZAW0dHc2

— The Falcons Wire (@TheFalconsWire) April 29, 2023