The Atlanta Falcons' defense took major strides, but most of the credit went to the edge rushing room. Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. were believed to have turned around Jeff Ulbrich's defense basically overnight, but they're not the only players who deserve the credit when it takes a village.
In Ulbrich's first season as the defensive coordinator, the Falcons recorded a franchise record 57 sacks in 2025, which ranked second in the NFL. And they enforced a promising defensive vision which has more to do with a different player on the defensive line rather than Walker or Pearce Jr.
The man in question is Brandon Dorlus, whose sack production flew under the radar because of Pearce and Walker. While labeling the best-kept secret on all 32 NFL teams, Bleacher Report's Brant Sobleski finally gave Dorlus the credit he deserves, and he is set to go nuclear for Atlanta in 2026.
Brandon Dorlus is only going to build on his breakout 2025 season
"Brandon Dorlus needed time to develop," Sobleski wrote. "After contributing little as a rookie, the second-year defensive lineman became an integral part of the Atlanta Falcons' defensive rotation in Year 2. In fact, the Oregon product finished second on the team with 8.5 sacks."
The 25-year-old was the best interior defensive lineman for the Dirty Birds in 2025. Like Sobleski noted, he didn't see the field very much as a rookie with Jimmy Lake at DC, but since he inhabited an expanded role in Year 2 under Ulbrich, he finished second on the team with an impressive 8.5 sacks.
The only player on the Falcons who had more sacks was Pearce, who got to 10.5 in his rookie season. But Atlanta's defense is going to have to rely upon Dorlus more in 2026. They traded away Ruke Orhorhoro and lost David Onyemata in free agency, so he'll have a full-time starting role all season.
"The former fourth-round pick should take on a full-time starting role this fall and provide the Falcons with an athletic and disruptive presence to make life easier on those names screaming off the edge."
The Falcons' defensive tackle rotation consists of Dorlus and Zach Harrison as the starters, with most of the depth pieces playing rotational roles. And with Pearce's short-term future uncertain due to legal issues, they're going to need similar sack production out of 2024 fourth-round pick in 2026.
The third-year man out of Oregon is one of the biggest rising stars on this Falcons' defensive line, but doesn't get enough love for what he accomplished in this breakout season. And one thing's for sure: if he replicates what he did in 2025, Dorlus will be talked about among the NFL's best defensive tackles.
Add us as a preferred source on Google