Falcons get mediocre grade from CBS Sports for 2026 NFL Draft class

With the 2026 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, now our attention turns to evaluating where the Atlanta Falcons stand compared to the rest of the league.

To review, the Falcons hit all of their major roster needs despite not having a first-round pick this year. While they may have waited a bit long to draft a defensive tackle, it's difficult to fault the overall haul that they got.

Everyone's a critic, though - and some folks were left unimpressed by Atlanta's picks.

That includes Pete Prisco at CBS Sports, who delights in his long-running Statler and Waldorf act. Prisco only gave the Falcons a "C" grade for their draft, even though his biggest complaint is last year's trade up for James Pearce Jr:

"Worst Pick: Depending on legal issues, it could be the trade they made with this year's first-round pick to get back into the first round last year to take James Pearce Jr. He's a good player, but he has some legal problems to work through... Without a first-round pick, it's hard to be excited. "

This feels like lazy analysis from where we're sitting - and ignores the recent development that Pearce appears to be getting all the charges dropped. Meanwhile, the Falcons hit needs at wide receiver, cornerback, defensive tackle, doubled up at linebacker and added depth at offensive tackle.

As for the specific picks, it's not the best haul that any team got but this is a respectable bunch of prospects that will make Atlanta more competitive.

It takes two years to truly, fairly evaluate any draft class. However, if we're just grading the picks then at worst they should get a solid B.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons earn C grade from CBS Sports for 2026 NFL Draft haul