Coming into the 2025 NFL Draft the Atlanta Falcons had many needs and many options. They only had five picks and several holes to fill. In addition, there were the rumors of what would happen with Kirk Cousins and possibly tight end Kyle Pitts. They could have been involved in Day 1 trades that would net the Falcons more picks, but it didn’t happen.
Perhaps the biggest need for the Falcons – according to just about everyone in the Greater Atlanta area – was pass rush. In 2024, the Falcons had 31 sacks. As a team. Total. It’s really tough to win that way. Sacks aren’t the end-all be-all of a defense, but they sure do help a lot.
The Falcons addressed that pass-rush need two-fold. With the No. 15-overall pick, the team took Georgia LB/Edge Jalon Walker. After that, Atlanta jumped back in to the first round to take Tennessee pass rusher James Pearce, Jr. According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, he didn’t come cheap.
“To get the No. 26 pick, the Falcons paid a hefty price. They sent the Rams second-round (No. 46) and seventh-round picks (No. 242) this year, as well as their first-round pick in 2026. In addition to the 26th pick, Atlanta received a third-round pick this year (No. 101),” Raimondi writes.
A first rounder next year is steep, but if the Falcons don’t perform well this season, general manager Terry Fontenot probably won’t even be around for the 2026 draft so go for it.
Falcons get explosion off the edge with Walker
“The first time I saw Jalon, it was like, ‘Woah,'” Falcons southeast area scout Shepley Heard said. “There are so many players on that Georgia defense and you’re watching everybody, but then you see Jalon and he’s flying all over the place. And you love what he can do because you can move him around.”
It sounds like the Falcons were doing jumping jacks when they were able to get Walker.
“Guys like Jalon?” Heard continued. “They stand out on film, and that’s even on a defense with a lot of talent.”
Heard was obviously referring to his defense at the University of Georgia and not the Falcons’ defense.
Pearce has some question marks
There was no shock that the Falcons went for the pass rush. But, it’s usually a surprise when teams trade back up to get more players in the first round. Not necessarily for the Falcons, though. Their inability to get to the quarterback the last few years is legendary. Fontenot and company had to address this problem and they put their money – in this case draft capital – where their draft card is.
James Pearce, Jr., however, does seem to come with a bit of baggage. Specifically, some teams had character concerns and that may have been why he lasted until the No. 26 pick.
Daniel Chavkin of The Sporting News breaks down why some NFL teams were worried about Pearce, Jr:
James Pearce arrest
In December of 2023, Pearce was arrested at a traffic stop in Knoxville after disobeying orders from the police. In the report, police said that Pearce was driving 63 MPH in a 35 MPH zone, in a vehicle that had an expired tag, and that Pearce was driving with a suspended license.
Then, police had to tell Pearce several times to get out of the car, at which point they told him that the car would be towed. When Pearce was arrested, he was charged with speeding, driving on a suspended license, failure to present insurance, registration not properly displayed and improper window tinting.
James Pearce character concerns
Pearce’s character concerns appear to extend onto the field as well. Over the NFL Draft cycle, anonymous sources have questioned Pearce’s maturity and willingness to be coached at the next level.
“That kid is a first-round talent,” a defensive line coach told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, “but the stuff you hear (about his maturity) scares me.”
Another defensive line coach was even harsher, via Feldman.
“We don’t even talk about him,” he said. “How coachable is he?”
If maturity is the biggest issue regarding Pearce, then the pass rusher would not be the first player to enter the league with this issue. At just 21 years-old, Pearce is one of the youngest players in this year’s draft class.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid also hinted that the league does not have a consensus view on Pearce, as Reid has the pass rusher going in the second round of the draft.
“His draft stock is all over the place,” Reid wrote. “The scouts I’ve talked to having Pearce going off the board anywhere from the late teens to the late second round.”
Those are some harsh words. But, we’ve seen players have issues in college that were able to turn it around and have productive NFL careers. If Walker is everything the Falcons think he can be and Pearce, Jr. can focus properly on football, the Falcons may have “won the draft” as they say. If not, the Michael Penix, Jr. could be in for a bumpy ride the next couple of years.
Falcons Address Major Need Twice in First Round