The Atlanta Falcons have long needed an elite edge defender, and they just got one, and much more, drafting Jalon Walker with the 15th-overall pick in the 2025 Draft. Walker thrived on the dominant Georgia defense for three seasons, and he now gets to stay in state with the Falcons.
At 6-foot-1, 243 pounds, the young defender recorded 89 tackles, 19 for a loss, and 12.5 sacks during his three-year career with the Bulldogs. He won a National championship during his freshman season, and played alongside several other elite Georgia defenders that have taken the league by storm. Now, he’ll try to continue that dominance down the road in Atlanta.
Falcons Draft Jalon Walker with 15th pick in 2025 Draft
Beyond his ability as an edge defender— his likely home in the NFL —Walker is a versatile defender that has thrived as an off-ball linebacker and an edge defender. That ability is why he was compared to New England Patriots great Dont’a Hightower, as well as Micah Parsons, who started his career playing off ball for the Dallas Cowboys. It’ll be wise for the Falcons to tap into that versatility, but they especially need him to get after quarterbacks. That’s why he’s expected to play on the edge.
In the 2024 Draft, everyone was convinced Atlanta would go after an edge defender like Dallas Turner. However, the Falcons shocked the world and drafted Michael Penix Jr. instead. While they were initially ridiculed for the pick, Penix is now the team’s QB1, and looks to be the franchise quarterback for years to come.
A year later, Atlanta has finally landed its edge defender. With young guys like Penix, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London on the offensive side of the ball, the Falcons have a promising young defender added to their core to build with.