On Day 1 of the 2025 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons did exactly what the fans wanted them to do, and then some. It was a pretty solid guess that the team would land some sort of pass rusher at pick 15.
After wisely using that pick to take former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker, the Falcons came back into the first round to select former Tennessee Volunteers edge James Pearce Jr. These two picks show how desperate the team has become to address a critical issue that has plagued this team for so long.
While this move did come as a shock to most people, largely due to the team’s lack of draft capital, college football/NFL analyst Kirk Herbstreit gave high praise to the Falcons following Day 1 of the draft.
“Another one I’ll give you that I really loved is what Atlanta did. Atlanta got Jalon Walker, who I think can be the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Explosive, just nasty. Can play off ball linebacker, can come off the edge blitz, can do so many different things,” stated Herbstreit. “Then they get James Pearce, one of the better pass rushers in this draft and very explosive.”
Even though the team gave up a future first-round pick, the Falcons had to do something on defense after an uneventful free agency period.
“So, you get two elite pass rushers, which is something Raheem Morris desperately needed and it’s exactly what he got,” Herbstreit continued. “When you not only look at talent, but need, I think it’s hard to argue who did a better job than Atlanta picking up those two pass rushers and what they are going to be able to do.”
Since 2021, the Falcons have been last or near last each season in sacks per game and sack percentage. Adrian Claiborne 10 sacks in 2017 was the last time the team fielded a defender that got double digit sack totals. The next best was Vic Beasley’s nine sacks in 2019.
Of course, no player’s NFL career can be predicted on draft night, but it goes to show how serious the team is about building a proper defense. You could also argue that this was Terry Fontenot’s last ditch effort to save his job because he could be out as general manager if the team doesn’t produce in 2025.
So all in all, tonight was a massive potential win for the Falcons and one the team will look to build upon.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Kirk Herbstreit: Falcons drafted ‘two elite pass rushers’ on Day 1
