The Atlanta Falcons have serious needs that must be address in free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft after falling short last season despite entering the campaign with playoff expectations.
They'll now move forward with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback and an exciting group of skill-position players. That said, the defense has major holes that need to be addressed. The front office hasn't spent a first-round pick on a defensive player since landing A.J. Terrell in 2020, which obviously worked out well.
Knowing that they need to improve that side of the ball, the Falcons made a decision to improve from some recent mistakes, seemingly with an emphasis on finding impact defenders in the draft.
I’ve covered a ton of Georgia pro days and this is the largest #Falcons contingent I’ve seen
— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) March 12, 2025
Falcons Putting Extra Effort Into Scouting Georgia Players
As pointed out by Maria Martin of NBC in Atlanta, the Falcons had the largest contingent she's seen at a Georgia Bulldogs pro day. That might not seem like significant news, but the Georgia football program has been the best in the country at churning out impact defenders in recent years.
The Philadelphia Eagles have become famous for targeting Bulldogs, utilizing the development of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith and Jordan Davis to dominate in the Super Bowl. You could look at tight end Brock Bowers' record-setting year with the Las Vegas Raiders as another example of a rising star from the program, albeit on offense.
Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams are considered to be two of the best defensive prospects in this draft, so it's possible that Atlanta was watching them. Of course, there are intriguing players that would be available later in the draft that are worth scouting as well. Teams around the NFL would be wise to mimic the Eagles' strategy, especially considering that Georgia seemingly churns out elite players every year.
Because the Bulldogs are so close geographically, it feels silly that the Falcons let the Eagles capitalize so much in recent years. Thankfully, they're finally correcting their mistakes and hopefully can land a game-changing talent with the No. 15 pick in April.