Michael Penix Jr. took over for Kirk Cousins in December, and the Atlanta Falcons are trying to rebuild on the fly (they were 8-7 last season before consecutive overtime losses to end the year).
The NFC South has been an underwhelming division for three straight seasons, thus leaving the door open for the Dirty Birds to compete in a meaningful way sooner rather than later. Did their work in the 2025 draft put them on a path to surprising this year? We break down all of their selections and evaluate the new look nature of this roster.
Looking for all 32 teams’ draft grades? Head to our 2025 NFL Draft Grades for All 32 Teams Tracker to see how we’ve graded other drafts.
Overall Falcons Draft Grade: A-
After years of investing in the sexy offensive positions, the Falcons took care of business in this draft by prioritizing the other side of the ball in a major way. With their two first round picks (15th and 26th overall), Atlanta selected a pair of SEC game-wreckers.
Jalon Walker is a jack-of-all-trades type who can impact a game in a variety of ways. Raheem Morris will want to nail down a specific role for him with time, but versatility is a nice weapon to have in a defense that needs help across the board.
James Pearce Jr. has unique speed for an EDGE and was reported to be a target of this team throughout the process. Like Walker, he should be in the mix from Day 1 and that gives this defense the potential to improve in a hurry.
Safeties Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. were their next two picks, and both profile as potential long-term pieces with Jordan Fuller on a one-year deal this year (eight DNP’s last season).
Grades for Every Falcons Draft Pick
- Round 1, Pick 15
Jalon Walker, LB | Georgia
Grade: B-
The Falcons went down to the wire with their pick at 15th overall, but they ultimately stayed put and selected Georgia’s Jalon Walker. Walker was projected as high as the top 10 at times in the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, but his value is more preferable in the middle of the first round, where the Falcons scooped him up.
In Raheem Morris’ odd-front scheme, the Falcons no doubt view Walker as an EDGE, but his projection has been a point of contention for NFL Draft experts across the space. At 6’1”, 250 pounds, with 32” arms, he’s undersized for a full-time EDGE role, but he has the explosiveness, bend, agility, speed-to-power, and relentless motor to give tackles fits from wider alignments.
The Falcons no doubt hope that Walker will infuse their defensive front with desperately needed pass-rush competence. If pass-rush help were their target here, Mike Green would’ve been a better pick in theory, but his character evaluation may have ruled him out for Atlanta. There’s no disputing Walker’s mentality or dynamism in passing situations — the only question is how high his ceiling truly is as an outlier.
- Round 1, Pick 26
James Peare Jr., EDGE | Tennessee
Grade: C
You can agree or disagree with how they’re approaching it, but give the Falcons credit: At the very least, they’re hitting the edge rush and hitting it hard in the 2025 NFL Draft. They used their first Round 1 pick on Jalon Walker, and soon after, they traded back into Round 1 to select James Pearce Jr.
As a pure pass-rusher, Pearce was one of the most prolific producers in college football over the past two seasons. Next to Abdul Carter, Pearce’s first-step explosiveness is the most dynamic in the class. Combined with that burst, he has elite agility and twitch, and he can channel speed-to-power with his explosiveness and length.
Outside of the pass-rush phase, however, and even within it, there are concerns. Pearce doesn’t have an elite bend component; his proportional length is closer to average than elite, and he’s lighter than preferred. His run-defense utility is minimal, and an EDGE duo of Walker and Pearce could be washed out more often than not.
Add in Pearce’s rumored coachability issues and the loss of a 2026 first-round pick, and this might be too much uncertainty and risk.
- Round 3, Pick 96
Xavier Watts, S | Notre Dame
Grade: A+
The Falcons had a rough Round 1 in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they made up for it with their move to select Xavier Watts at the tail end of Round 3. Watts was a top-50 prospect on my board. With 13 interceptions over the past two seasons, he’s in a tier of his own as a playmaker, but those ball skills mask an incredibly complete profile beneath.
At 6’0” and over 200 pounds, Watts has a strong and compact build, and that build holds up well in run support, where he can respond downhill, attack blocks, and make tackles.
In coverage, however, he’s just as proficient, with smooth pedal mobility, elite processing speed, and a type of range that’s insulated by his rare instincts. He’s a perfect complement alongside Jessie Bates III on the back end for Atlanta.
- Round 4, Pick 118
Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma
Grade: A-
The Falcons’ secondary was a problem area in 2024, and they seem to be aware of it. They spent a Day 2 pick on Xavier Watts, and they dipped into the safety bin again with the selection of Billy Bowman Jr. in Round 4.
The biggest question here is where the Falcons will ultimately use Bowman. They have Jessie Bates III and Watts at safety, but Bowman has the short-area quickness and matching ability to play as a nickel safety, while also providing the versatility and range to rotate back into split-field looks. With Watts and Bowman, the Falcons have infinitely more versatility and playmaking value on the back end, which is only a good thing.
- Round 7, Pick 218
Jack Nelson, OT | Wisconsin
Grade: A+