The Atlanta Falcons made a huge gamble in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Falcons traded next year’s first-round selection to secure an additional first-rounder this year to pair with the No. 15 overall pick.
The result: Atlanta walked away with two potential game-changing pass rushers in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., who are expected to anchor the defensive front for the foreseeable future.
The issue, however, is that both are rookies entering the league with zero NFL experience — and the Falcons need help getting to the quarterback immediately.
While both could contribute right away, there's also a real chance it could blow up in Atlanta’s face. That would be a "worst-case scenario," according to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine.
"There's a legitimate concern that Walker and Pearce could both take a while to figure things out," Ballentine wrote.
Ballentine referenced fellow Bleacher Report analyst Matt Holder, who described Walker as a "high-ceiling but low-floor type of player." Pearce, meanwhile, was viewed as a "boom-or-bust prospect" who could struggle to become an every-down edge defender.
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The Athletic’s Josh Kendall pointed out that Atlanta is putting a heavy burden on the shoulders of Walker, Pearce, and 2024 third-round pick Bralen Trice — who missed all of last season due to injury — to fix one of the league’s most inept pass rushes.
"They are counting on one of those players, or some combination of all three, boosting what is historically one of the league’s worst pass rushes," Kendall said. "Atlanta finished 31st in sacks last year with 31 and is the only team in the NFL with fewer than 300 sacks over the last 10 years. The Falcons lost bodies, including Grady Jarrett, on the defensive interior, and didn’t add much at cornerback, so they are putting a lot of faith in getting more pressure on the quarterback."
New defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich adds another wrinkle, bringing a new system to a unit desperate for change. While there’s promise, expecting this defense to deliver in 2025 may be asking too much for a team that’s been historically bad over the past several seasons.
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