When the Atlanta Falcons were able to draft LB/DE James Pearce in the first round last year, it was an exciting time for the franchise. They not only drafted Jalon Walker at No. 15 overall, the Falcons made the bold decision to trade back up into the first round to acquire Pearce. It was a great young pass-rushing duo that they got, but getting Pearce cost the Falcons a first round pick.
Now granted, Pearce had a phenomenal rookie season where he had 10.5 sacks and 5 pass deflections. However, giving up a first round pick in order to get him may not only cost the Falcons a great playmaker in the first round this year, but it sets the LA Rams (who traded with Atlanta) for their future.
As of right now, the Falcons are the only team in the NFC South that won’t be picking in the first round. Could they trade up? Absolutely. Should they? Not at all.
However, they will now have to wait for their first selection but the Panthers, Buccaneers, and Saints will have their chance to add some first round talent to their team. There are different directions that each team could make, but with the Panthers coming off a season where they won the division (with the Falcons’ help), they have the chance to keep building their foundation under Dave Canales.
Panthers land a huge first-round steal in latest 2026 mock draft (and Falcons fans should hope it doesn't come true)
Sayre Bedinger from NFL Spin Zone put together a recent mock draft going into this year’s draft and at No. 19, the Panthers somehow were able to draft Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker, which would be a huge steal for Carolina (and bad news for the Falcons and the entire NFC South).
"And they could stay local here with the selection of TJ Parker, who might not have unanimous first-round grades anymore, but was once considered a can’t-miss prospect. The bang for their buck here could be similar to the Falcons getting James Pearce Jr. late in the 1st round last year. "Sayre Bedinger, NFL Spin Zone
While Parker didn’t have the exact production that he had in 2024 (11 sacks), he still provided a huge impact for the Clemson defense and is still one of the best defensive players in this draft by a mile.
Bedinger mentioned that the Panthers getting Parker could be very similar to the Falcons getting Pearce, and Pearce had a great first season. The last thing Falcons fans want to see is the defending division champs land themselves a solid young pass rusher who can grow as time goes on.