Falcons' surging draft pick put the cherry on top of DROY campaign with new award

I'll be the first to admit it, I was wrong. The night the Atlanta Falcons traded their 2026 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick to climb back into the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, I was upset. We had just drafted Jalon Walker, a standout off-ball linebacker at Georgia. What else could we possibly need?

It turns out James Pearce Jr. was exactly what Jeff Ulbrich's defense needed. It took eight games before Pearce figured everything out, but he's been a force to be reckoned with since. Over his last nine games, the Tennessee product recorded 10 sacks, and was held without a sack just once.

Terry Fontenot and the rest of the crew were right to pay big bucks for Pearce Jr., who has so much potential still untapped. And to make matters even more impressive, he was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month for logging 5.5 sacks across the final five games of the season.

Now that his rookie season has come to an end, so has his campaign for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Despite being picked behind four edge rushers on draft day, Pearce nearly doubled the sack total of Walker, who logged the second most sacks of all rookies, as his efforts were the driving force behind the Dirty Birds breaking the franchise sack record this season.

James Pearce Jr. has earned the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, he's just awaiting his crown

Despite finishing the season on the IR, Cleveland's Carson Schwesinger has been the favorite to win the DROY for weeks now. The 33rd overall pick out of UCLA posted 156 tackles, two interceptions, and 2.5 sacks across 16 games this season. The high tackle number is impressive, but nothing else stands out outside of his 11 tackles for loss.

When comparing the two side-by-side, there is no conversation: Pearce deserves the award. Ever since his liftoff in Week 10, to capping the season with two sacks in a win over the rival Saints, Pearce has proved he's an elite pass rusher.

Other DROY candidates are Nick Emmanwori, Abdul Carter and Jihaad Campbell. Only Emmanwori is a real threat to Pearce's trophy, but he posted a mediocre season.

One interception, 98.6 passer rating allowed, eight tackles for loss and 11 passes defended over 14 games. Solid rookie season, but nothing special. Emmanwori has the talent to be an above-average safety moving forward, but failed to display elite production.

If Pearce wins this coveted award, he'd be the first Falcon to win a Rookie of the Year award since new president of football Matt Ryan in 2008. The most recent Falcons before Ryan were the LB duo of Buddy Curry and Al Richardson, who tied to win the 1980 Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Pearce has the opportunity to cap a special season with a special award, but it's now in the hands of the Associated Press. The award will be announced the Thursday night before the Super Bowl, and Falcons fans cannot wait.