The Atlanta Falcons completely revamped their defense with two picks in the first round of the NFL Draft. There were rumors throughout the offseason surrounding Atlanta that they were interested in trading up to select a guy like Jalon Walker, and the organization delivered on that theory.
Based on the way the board shook itself out, the Falcons landed the player of their dreams in Walker. The Georgia product can scream off the edge like your typical pass rusher, but can drop into coverage and play like an off-the-ball linebacker, comparing closely to Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys.
In addition to Walker, Falcons brass traded back into the first round to land Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Atlanta sent picks No. 46, No. 242, and their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for picks No. 26 and No. 101.
According to The Ringer’s Todd McShay, Pearce had the highest pass-rush win rate of all edge rushers in the class, with 22.4%, and the highest percentage of pass rushes with in pressures.
Prior to the first round, teams were cautious about the 21-year-old due to some off-the-field concerns. News and rumors like that surface every offseason, which is unfair for the prospect trying to make his dream come true.
“He’s still a top-tier talent,” said Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network. “But there are some concerns that have made teams a little more cautious. That said, he could absolutely still go 15th to the Falcons — or he could fall out of the first round entirely.”
Not only did he slide almost entirely out of the first round, but Atlanta traded back up for their guy.
In 2024, the Falcons ranked in the bottom half of the league in just about every defensive metric.
Atlanta Falcons 2024 Defensive Ranks
- Points/game: 24.9 (23rd)
- Yards/game: 345.2 (22nd)
- Yards/play: 5.5 (19th)
- Rushing yards/rush: 4.5 (18th)
- Sack %: 5.09 (31st)
Pearce and Walker join a defense with solid pass rushers with elite speed like Leonard Floyd and Arnold Ebiketie. Raheem Morris can now send waves of blazing fast pass rushers off the edge towards opposing quarterbacks, making opponents' lives miserable.
This Atlanta team wasn’t great against the pass either, but some of that has to do with the team’s inability to rush the passer. The 6-foot-5 frame of Pearce, with solid coaching, can become one of the league’s next great budding superstars.
The NFC South is owned by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield resurged his career after joining the team back in 2023, in an offense loaded with weapons like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Cade Otton, Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, and now Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
The Falcons beat the Bucs twice a season ago, but subpar quarterback play from Kirk Cousins in the middle of the season hurt this team’s playoff chances. They’re not that far off, especially with this new and improved defense.
With the abundance of edge rushers, Atlanta may have Walker play more of a linebacker role. His 6-foot-2, 245 lb frame can hang with running backs and tight ends, offering versatility.
In the secondary, the Falcons will trot out one of the league’s best corners in A.J. Terrell and also Jessie Bates, one of the NFL’s best safeties.
This team is an additional wide receiver away from making a run at one of the top-two seeds in the NFC. If Michael Penix Jr. can progress into the player they believe he can be, the sky's the limit for this offense.