The Atlanta Falcons have built a great foundation of players, but they needed more juice, especially on the defensive side. They used the NFL Draft as that outlet to land more difference makers and did exactly that in the first round.
The Falcons took Georgia LB Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick before trading up for Tennessee EDGE James Pearce Jr. to select him with the 26th pick in the first round.
Those moves pumped up the fanbase and players inside the organization. Cornerback A.J. Terrell was a guest on "The Waterboyz Show" and expressed how thrilled he is that the team took these two guys in the first round.
Terrell said, "Having those two pieces added to the defense, I'm super excited for them. I know I text Jalon for sure when he got drafted, cause he was first one but I text him and told him let's get it like. I'm happy about the moves we made. I like that the whole organization is on the same page for what we need and what we need for right now."
A.J. Terrell is Happy With Falcons First-Round Picks
The Falcons needed to improve their pass rush, and everyone in the organization knew it. In 2024, they were 31st in the NFL in team sacks (31), with no player logging more than six sacks.
When you have an underwhelming pass rush, it's a deterrent to the rest of the defense, especially the secondary. That's why Terrell is pumped because these guys will make his job easier. Last season, this team was ranked 22nd in the league in pass defense (224.5) and is looking to take that up a notch.
Terrell has an All-Pro honor under his belt and is one of the best players on the Falcons' roster. That's why he was handed a four-year, $81 million extension last August.
Everyone involved hopes these additions help this team reach new heights in 2025 and beyond.