The Falcons approached the 2025 NFL Draft with a clear objective -- inject youth, versatility, and pass-rushing juice into a defense still finding its identity under head coach Raheem Morris.
And through seven weeks of the season, the early returns show a rookie class that’s quietly shaping the future of this roster. From a pair of first-round pass rushers to two do-it-all safeties, the class already reflects the tough, adaptable personality the Falcons are trying to forge.
Round 1, Pick 15 – Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
The Falcons didn’t have to look far for their first pick, grabbing Georgia’s Walker -- a player whose versatility, explosiveness, and football DNA made him a natural fit for Atlanta’s defense.
At 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Walker doesn’t fit the prototypical mold of the long, rangy edge defender that scouts often drool over. But what he lacks in length, he makes up for with power, short-area twitch, and instincts that can’t be taught.
Walker has already flashed all the tools of a future star. His first-step quickness jumps off the tape, and his ability to align up and down the front -- whether standing over a guard, rushing off the edge, or dropping into space -- has given Atlanta’s defense the flexibility to disguise pressure looks.
He’s built to play in chaos, a violent and urgent athlete whose energy has rippled through the front seven.
What’s most impressive, though, is how polished he looks this early. For a 21-year-old rookie, Walker’s ability to diagnose plays and find the ball is advanced beyond his years.
The Falcons wanted a tone-setter, and they found one. If he continues to refine his hand usage and leverage, he could become one of the most complete young defenders in football in due time.
Round 1, Pick 26 – James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Atlanta doubled down on pass rush later in the first round, taking Tennessee’s Pearce Jr. -- a player many considered a top-10 talent before an up an down final campaign in Knoxville.
Through six games, his stat sheet doesn’t jump out -- just one sack -- but that’s a deceptive number. The pressures are coming (12 thus far), and the tape tells a very different story.
His explosiveness is undeniable. His ability to corner and flatten to the quarterback is already evident, and he’s developing counter moves that keep tackles honest.
The Falcons have been careful to ramp up his snap count gradually, but his reps are climbing every week (40 in Week 7 against SF was a career-high).
Having both Walker and Pearce on the field together gives Atlanta something it hasn’t had in years -- two young, dynamic, complementary edge rushers who can collapse the pocket from either side. Walker brings the inside-out versatility; Pearce brings the pure bend and speed.
It’s a tandem that could define the next phase of Atlanta’s defensive identity.
Round 3, Pick 96 – Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
The Falcons struck gold in the third round with Watts, a safety who’s already proving that instincts and intelligence can outweigh measurables. With two interceptions in his first six games, Watts has been everywhere, all the time, and all at once.
He doesn’t have the elite athletic profile of former Notre Dame standouts like Kyle Hamilton or even Harrison Smith way back, but Watts has what both had in common -- elite football IQ and a nose for the football. His range is impressive, and his ability to key route combinations and anticipate throws has looked beyond his years.
Round 4, Pick 118: Billy Bowman, DB, Oklahoma
While Bowman may not have the measurables of a prototype NFL safety/nickel, the Oklahoma product is the kind of high-effort, high-IQ player that every defense needs.
He’s a blur on film -- flying around with urgency, communicating pre-snap, and always near the football. Whether lining up at nickel, deep safety, rotating down as a robber, or filling on special teams, Bowman has brought energy and accountability to the defense.
His willingness to stick his face in the mud as a tackler and his range from number to number make him an easy player for coaches to trust, as well.
Bowman embodies the “jack-of-all-trades” mold -- reliable, adaptable, and fearless. In an era increasingly obsessed with testing numbers and analytics, his brand of effort-based, assignment-sound football is refreshing.
Round 7, Pick 218: Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin
Atlanta rounded out its 2025 class with the selection of Nelson, a developmental lineman who’s spent the season on the active 53, but mostly in a t-shirt and shorts on game day as an inactive.
While he has yet to make his NFL debut, his college tape showed a technically sound pass protector with strong hands and good movement skills in space. A typical big body out of the Badger program, the Falcons view him as a project worth developing behind a veteran-heavy front five.
Overall, the Falcons’ 2025 rookie class is shaping up to be the foundation of a defense that can win with speed and versatility. Walker and Pearce headline the group as explosive edge defenders with complementary skill sets, while Watts and Bowman give Atlanta a pair of instinctive, high-motor secondary stalwarts who bring energy and reliability to their position room.
It's a class that reflects exactly what Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot envisioned -- a defense that’s multiple, athletic, and fearless. And if the early returns are any indication, Atlanta may have found the core of its next great unit.