There weren't a lot of bright spots in the Atlanta Falcons' Week 10 loss to the Colts, but Jalon Walker was certainly one of them. Fresh off of being named the NFL Rookie of the Week, the first-round edge rusher encored his multi-sack performance with a showing that was just as impressive.
The reigning Butkus Award winner totaled six tackles (four solo), one sack, one tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery. It might not result in another weekly award—parially because of Colts' rookie Tyler Warren—it firmly reminding Falcons fans how high the ceiling could be for the 21-year-old.
At first it was a roller coaster, where some deemed the Walker pick a mistake for Dirty Birds, but this is no longer the case. He and James Pearce Jr. have sent a clear message to the doubters as of late, and it seems like Atlanta has finally found the long-term pass rush duo they've been searching for.
Jalon Walker quietly impressed despite Falcons' harrowing overtime loss
The former Georgia standout has been among the most impressive defenders in football over the last few weeks. According to Pro Football Focus, Walker's 87.4 PFF grade in Week 9 ranked second among all edge rushers, as only Arizona's Josh Sweat graded higher than the promising youngster.
Moreover, his 81.4 run defense grade led all edge rushers and his 78.3 coverage grade was third at the position. For a Jeff Ulbrich defense that lost their swiss army knife in Divine Deablo, they might have just found the perfect short-term replacement until Deablo returns from injured reserve.
He played linebacker in Athens, but Ulbrich has moved him to play off the edge in the pros. However, it's that versatility that's helped Ulbrich disguise coverages and Walker shine while rushing the passer. And having Pearce on the other side has only made the pass rush that much more exciting.
Many will consider Atlanta's top-ranked pass defense only an indictment of their secondary, but it says just as much about their young defensive line. The Falcons have been horrible at getting to the quarterback in recent years, but this is finally no longer the case in 2025.
It might sting to not have that 2026 first-round pick, especially given how this season has transpired, but fans can't be too upset if their rookies keep on wreaking havoc game in and game out. And a lot of that improvement can be attributed to Walker, especially since his return to the lineup last week.