You are looking at the Atlanta Falcons' trade-up completely wrong

The Atlanta Falcons were prepared to take Tennessee's James Pearce Jr. at pick 15. But then Jalon Walker was sitting there, and they couldn't resist.

Then their original player kept falling, and they couldn't help but trade up. They leaped back into the first round by sending a package of picks to the Los Angeles Rams that has generally been seen as an overpay.

Trading away a first-round pick always hurts; no fan base wants to be bored on Day 1 of the Draft. But to say it was an overpay is completely false.

Atlanta Falcons trade-up is getting misconstrued by the media

"The Falcons trade away next year's first-round pick to move up 20 spots." That is the common sentence we have heard since the trade was made.

Looking at it that way, it sounds like an awful move, but that is looking at it from an entirely wrong angle.

Here is the correct angle: Falcons use their 2026 first-round pick one year early and jump 20 spots by trading back a round (2nd to 3rd) and giving up a seventh-round pick.

There shouldn't be an association between jumping 20 spots and giving up a first-round pick. The Falcons still made a first-round pick, it was just a year early.

I will admit, initially, I thought it was a massive overpay. But, like with most things, you must get past that initial reaction and dive deeper. Hopefully, your view on this trade has changed.

Now, whether or not you like the prospect is a discussion for another time. The Falcons clearly loved him and wanted him at No. 15, so landing him and Jalon Walker is quite a haul. You can't hate the aggressive approach.