Sports

The Atlanta Falcons' 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years

By HC Green Lindys Sports

Updated May 15, 2026 6:09 AM

Drafting is an inexact science. Even the best of the best miss for any number of reasons-injuries, poor scheme fit, off-the-field issues, lack of development, and so on. With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, things should be quiet on the personnel side until training camps open in July.

With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time to go back over the last 10 drafts to identify picks which didn't pan out for each of the 32 clubs. Before we begin, let's set the ground rules: We're starting with the 2016 draft, so no players from the 2026 draft are eligible.

Now that we've established the parameters, here are the Atlanta Falcons' five worst draft picks of the past decade:

Dishonorable Mentions

DT Deadrin Senat (90th Overall, 2018)
DB Richie Grant (40th Overall, 2021)
LB/DE Bralen Trice (74th Overall, 2024)

5) WR Calvin Ridley, 26th Overall (2018)

Ridley was a breakout star in 2020, posting a 90-1,374-9 line and positioning himself as the successor to Julio Jones in Atlanta. Instead, Ridley would play just five more games in a Falcons uniform, abruptly stepping away from the NFL in 2021 for mental-health reasons and then being suspended for all of 2022 due to gambling. It was a bitter end to a promising start.

4) QB Michael Penix Jr., 8th Overall (2024)

Probably the most surprising first-round pick in 2024 was Penix, who was taken even though the Falcons had signed Kirk Cousins to a big-money deal. Cousins was a flop in Atlanta to be sure, but what has Penix shown across 12 NFL starts? Yes, he's entering just his third year; he's also 26-for comparison, Jordan Love, who is heading into his seventh season, is 27-and it's already hard to imagine that he'll become the player Bo Nix, who was drafted with the 12th overall selection, is now.

3) OL Jalen Mayfield, 68th Overall (2021)

Mayfield started 16 games as a rookie, though he struggled transitioning from tackle to guard, where he allowed an NFL-high 11 sacks. He suffered a back injury that ended up costing him all of 2022, and the team cut him the following camp. Mayfield was off the roster by age 23 and never started another NFL game.

2) DE Marlon Davidson, 47th Overall (2020)

Davidson had essentially one career highlight, which was a pick-six off Tom Brady in his second season. Beyond that, he'd appear in just 25 career games, 19 of which came in his first two campaigns. Among the players selected just a handful of picks after him were Jaylon Johnson and Jalen Hurts.

arena photography — Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

1) DE Takk McKinley, 26th Overall (2017)

McKinley had his moments during his first couple of years, but his relationship with the team soured, and he requested a trade in 2020. Atlanta released him, and McKinley would play for three other clubs, but never made an impact. Making matters even worse, the Steelers drafted T.J. Watt four slots after McKinley in 2017.

This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 6:00 AM.