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Falcons UDFA breaks into Pro Bowl voting top 10

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Alex Lord | Last updated 12/13/23

The Falcons have multiple players who could be voted into the 2023 Pro Bowl after just one made it last year.

Chris Lindstrom was the only representative from Atlanta, and it was the first of his career. Some (me) might argue that Grady Jarrett was deserving, but at a position as loaded as the interior defensive line, it’s a difficult one to make.

This season the Falcons have a handful of players that were voted inside the top of the fan portion of the voting — Keith Smith (4th), Jessie Bates (2nd), Younghoe Koo (5th), and Bijan Robinson (6th) — and some have improved their standing in the updated voting.

Smith is the only one who regressed, who is now the 5th ranked fullback, but Bates is now the top-voted safety in the NFC. Koo slots in as the 4th highest kicker, and Robinson is now the 5th ranked running back.

Moreover, the Falcons have a new face in the top 10 of the fan voting period, and it’s undrafted free agent Nate Landman.

Falcons in the Top 10 of the updated Pro Bowl fan voting:

Jessie Bates III, FS, (1st)
Younghoe Koo, K (4th)
Keith Smith, FB (5th)
Bijan Robinson, RB (5th)
Nate Landman, ILB (10th)

Just shows how big of a season Landman is having he's in the Top 10.

— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) December 13, 2023

Koo overtook Justin Tucker a couple of weeks ago for the best field goal percentage in league history. Though he’s coming off an uncharacteristic performance last week where he missed two field goals, nobody in Atlanta is worried about Koo.

Whenever Robinson gets enough touches, he’s shown why the Falcons made him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley. He’s in the top 10 for yards from scrimmage among all running backs. He is an extremely popular player and the face of Atlanta, so he has a decent shot of earning his first Pro Bowl honor in as many years in the league.

Landman’s story has been one of the best this season. The UDFA ranks fourth in tackles, third in tackles for loss, fifth in passes defended, and second in interceptions, despite only starting 10 of the club’s 13 games.

The Falcons lost Troy Andersen during the early parts of the season, and many, including myself, thought the worst of the situation. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Nate Landman has been a diamond in the rough.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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