Falcons 2025 Draft Review: Grades, Analysis & Quotes for All 5 Picks

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- There were laughs, smiles and a bubbling sense of satisfaction -- with a dash of urgency sprinkled on top.

As Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot followed head coach Raheem Morris out the door of the team's Jimmy Cribb Media Room for the final time of draft weekend, the duo confidently strutted back into the war room.

Fontenot and Morris still needed to attack the "eighth round," as Fontenot described the 2025 NFL draft's pool of undrafted free agents.

But Atlanta's brass couldn't help but smile. The Falcons didn't draft a single player above their slot on the consensus board, and they found the best overall value in the class, according to analytic site SharpFootball.

So, why not smile?

"It doesn't always line up to where the need matches the board in terms of the players that are there, but it really worked out for us," Fontenot said. "We truly were able to bring in impact players in all areas."

From grades and analysis to quotes from the players and team, here's a deep-dive on the Falcons' draft class.

Round 1, No. 15 overall: Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia

Analysis: Neither Walker nor the Falcons outright said they were surprised the third-team All-American was still on the board at No. 15, citing the uncertain nature of the draft. But to say either party expected it doesn't accurately portray the depth to Walker's slide.

ESPN's player projection model gave Walker a 1% chance to be available at No. 15 overall. Walker made it. And Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said Walker was too good to pass up.

"He stands for everything we think this football team should embody," Ulbrich said Saturday.

Walker does a little bit of everything. He led Georgia with 10.5 tackles for loss in 2024, and he tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks. He played both inside linebacker and edge rusher at Georgia -- last season, he saw 311 snaps at linebacker and 249 snaps on the line of scrimmage, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Falcons plan on using the 6'1", 243-pound Walker as an edge rusher on first and second downs, Ulbrich said, before getting creative with him on third down. Ulbrich acknowledged Walker is smaller than a traditional edge defender, but Ulbrich said he had success with a similar player in the 6'3", 255-pound Bryce Huff, who had 10 sacks for Ulbrich and the New York Jets in 2022.

"Him and Jalon are very similar athletes, similar size," Ulbrich said. "They do a lot of things in a similar way. That’s a guy that I've had just lately that had tremendous success playing on the edge and edge only, where I think Jalon might have maybe a little bit more versatility to his game, and he could do a little bit more off the ball internally: blitz, drop, etc."

The 21-year-old Walker is the first University of Georgia player to be selected by the Falcons in the first round ... ever. His college alone made him a statistical improbability. His status as a likely top-10 pick only compounded the slim odds he'd play professionally in Atlanta.

But fate kept Walker in the state -- and the Falcons figure to be better off because of it.

Grade: A

What Walker said: "I’m in disbelief. It’s been a great, great day. From the time I got that phone call, from the beginning of the draft, it was crazy. A true blessing, and it’s a great opportunity for me and my family to just be here. It’s great."

What Morris said: "His makeup obviously is unique, all the things he can do, all the places he can rush from -- obviously he's an off the ball backer, he's an on the ball backer. He can do so many different things. He's versatile, he can set edges. I mean, there's not a whole lot that he can't do, and if you met the kid in person, you fall in love with him, the character, the human, what he meant to that Georgia football team."

Round 1, No. 26 overall: James Pearce Jr., edge, Tennessee

Analysis: The Falcons traded their 2026 first round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for their first round pick this year to select Pearce at No. 26. Pearce was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection at Tennessee who tallied 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons. It cost them moving down from No. 46 to No. 101 and a seventh round pick.

The Falcons drew criticism for giving up a future first-round pick, but Fontenot doesn't view it that way. In reality, they only lost one pick in this deal... a seventh.

"Basically what we did is we used our (2026) first round pick this year," Fontenot said. "When you really think about it, what we gave up for it is we went from the second round to the third round, if you really put it in a nutshell. So, we went from the second round to the third round and used our first-round pick next year.

"But we got to when we're talking about the two players that we got, and then we see that as being worth it because of who the players are."

Ulbrich said the Falcons would've been comfortable taking Pearce at No. 15 overall if Walker had been off the board. Instead, Atlanta landed both players.

There was a point where Pearce also wasn't expected to be around for Atlanta's pick. He was a projected top five pick in the summer of 2024, but he slid down draft boards due to a marginal dip in production and, perhaps more pressingly, off-field questions.

Pearce was arrested in December 2023 for disobeying orders from police after being pulled over for speeding and driving on a suspended license, though charges were later dropped after he showed he received a new driver’s license and paid his speeding ticket. According to The Athletic, Pearce's concerns "pertain to his on-field drive and attitude," along with his maturity.

The Falcons visited with Pearce and his mother in North Carolina on Wednesday, the day before the draft began. The interaction capped a lengthy examination into Pearce's character and helped Atlanta feel comfortable with the talented 21-year-old.

"It was truly an exhaustive process and that's what makes us feel good about our culture and everything we are," Fontenot said. "But that's important, we always talk about intangibles and we want to bring in guys that love ball and love to compete and as we build this roster the right way, and we spent a lot of time with him making sure that that he was going to fit."

The 6'5", 243-pound Pearce is slender but fast, fluid and competitive -- and the Falcons believe he'll ultimately be worth the price to move up, though he needs to prove he'll put in the work off the field, too.

Grade: B+

What Pearce said: "Electrifying," Pearce said of his play style. "I've been hearing a lot of people call it juice too, so we can say that word too. But yeah, fun to watch too."

What Fontenot said: "As a pass rusher, just look at the numbers. Even if you don't watch tape, look at the numbers, highest pressure rate in football, and that's great. It's been consistent for two years. I mean, this is a productive player. He can get off the ball, he's explosive, he's sudden, he's twitchy, he plays with violence. And so, whether it's in the run game or the pass game, he's disruptive in that way, really flies around, love the way he plays, love the way he competes."

Round 3, No. 96 overall: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

Analysis: When Ulbrich went through his pre-draft process of putting safeties into clusters, he zoned in on the third and fourth rounds as an area to target the position. Watts wasn't in the cluster.

"I had him as a second-round guy, and I thought he was going to be long gone," Ulbrich said. "If we had had our second, he would have definitely, I thought, been part of that conversation. The fact we didn't have that second anymore, I thought he was out of the conversation and then he ends up being there."

The Falcons held pick No. 101, which they received from the Rams. They packaged that selection with a 2026 fifth-round pick to move up five spots with the Philadelphia Eagles, a move Ulbrich and Fontenot both felt was necessary.

Ulbrich believed Watts would have gone to either the Las Vegas Raiders, who owned picks No. 98 and 99, or the San Francisco 49ers, who were at No. 100, had the Falcons not traded up.

Atlanta's conviction in Watts spearheaded the move. His resume justified it.

The 23-year-old Watts won the 2023 Nagurski Award given annually to the nation’s top defender, and he earned consensus All-American honors in both 2023 and 2024. He tied for the FBS lead with seven interceptions in 2023 and was tied for second with six takeaways in 2024.

The Falcons were enamored by Watts's instincts and ball anticipation. To Ulbrich, Watts is reminiscent of Atlanta's two-time All-Pro safety, Jessie Bates III.

"A really cool player, and a very similar player I would have said to when I evaluated Jessie coming out," Ulbrich said. "Guys that play the neck up elitely. He's an exciting one."

Grade: A

What Watts said: "I just think it's who I am," Watts said on the keys to his 13 interceptions. "I'm just a ball player at the end of the day. I just go out there and I make plays."

What Fontenot said: "We all like him," Fontenot said. "Start with the makeup, I mean, outstanding character, serious worker, competitor, high-end instincts, former receiver, ball hawk, more picks than, anybody in college ball last two years. So, this guy's a stud, versatile, all those things. So we're very excited. We knew he could go before us and so we're aggressive when we went up and got him and very excited about that."

Round 4, No. 118 overall: Billy Bowman Jr., DB, Oklahoma

Analysis: For as non-committal as Fontenot was to the surprise of Walker's fall, he was open about Bowman being on the board at No. 118.

"We had him at the top of our stack coming in this morning, and we're like, 'There's no way he's going to be there,'" Fontenot said. "We didn't expect him to, and yet, he was. So, it was really exciting."

Bowman is a versatile piece on the back end who had 397 snaps at free safety, 184 snaps in the box and 156 snaps at nickel for the Sooners in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Falcons plan on playing Bowman, who had 11 interceptions in his final three seasons at Oklahoma, primarily at nickel corner to start his career.

"I think that's a little bit more conducive to his skill set," Ulbrich said. "A little bit shorter limbs, a little bit smaller stature. I think nickels need short space quickness (and) the ability to match guys in the slot. Obviously, they're going against typically the quickest receiver, so he matches that profile perfectly.

"Plus, high level intelligence. Not to mention we're talking about off the charts character too, like just true love for ball. He's going to bring talent, but he's going to bring leadership as well."

The 5'10", 192-pound Bowman started 41 games across four seasons at Oklahoma. He was a first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2023 after finishing tied for fourth in the FBS with six interceptions and leading the FBS with three pick-sixes. He was a third-team All-SEC selection in 2024, notching 54 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and three pass breakups.

Bowman said he played nickel and outside corner extensively as a freshman at Oklahoma before spending his final three seasons at safety.

"I'm pretty much comfortable wherever I'm placed at," Bowman said. "I feel like I'm very versatile, I feel like I've shown that through my years in college. I pride myself on being versatile and getting on the field in any way possible."

The 22-year-old Bowman isn't a seasoned nickel corner, but he has the traits and ball production to grow into a starter at the position.

Grade: B+

What Bowman said: "I feel like coming there I can be another source of creating turnovers. I feel like I'm very versatile, I feel like I can come down, I can play the run game. I can definitely play the pass game. Also like I said, I can create those turnovers ... so we can get the ball back to the offense."

What Fontenot said: "If you don't enjoy watching him play, then you just don't like football. He flies around tough, smart, extremely athletic, really versatile. ... Takes the ball away at a high rate, not just in terms of interceptions and anticipating and taking away, but he's got ball awareness. And again, just an unreal competitor. Next level competitor."

Round 7, No. 218 overall: Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin

Analysis: The Falcons spent considerable time with offensive tackles during the pre-draft process, and Fontenot said they wanted to add youth to the offensive line room. Atlanta also has to think about the future of right tackle Kaleb McGary, who's entering a contract year in 2025 as left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s blindside protector.

The 6'7", 314-pound Nelson started his final 50 games at Wisconsin. His first 13 starts came at right guard in 2021, when he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention. The final 37 were at left tackle. Nelson earned All-Big Ten honorable mention again in 2022.

Fontenot touted Nelson's size and intangibles. Morris believes he's athletic and can play both left and right tackle, along with guard.

Nelson believes he's best suited to play right tackle. He said he was training to play the position at the Reese's Senior Bowl before pulling his hamstring, and injury aside, he found it to be a smooth transition.

"It just came so much more naturally to me," Nelson said. "My feet, my step, my angles -- being on the right side really connected to my brain well."

Nelson played guard in 2021 after approaching Wisconsin offensive line coach Joe Rudolph and asking what he needed to do to play. Nelson said he knew he was one of the five best offensive linemen the Badgers had, and Rudolph agreed.

Wisconsin gave Logan Bruss, a third-round pick in 2022, the choice to play either right tackle or right guard. Rudolph said he was going to play Nelson next to Bruss. So, when Bruss chose tackle, Nelson went to guard.

Such versatility and adaptability may prove crucial for Nelson's hopes of sticking to Atlanta's roster long-term.

Grade: B

What Nelson said: "I'd say regardless of the offense, regardless of whatever kind of offense or OC we’ve got, I'm going to be an explosive, twitchy and aggressive player. I think I play with kind of a recklessness that translates to a physical type of play when I connect and really get into the groove."

What Morris said: "You like the traits, you like the cover, the ability (in) pass pro. Then you get your guys up front and what they really like to do what we do, (which) is run the football and watch them do some of those things, especially at an institution like Wisconsin. You’ve got to be on fire about acquiring (that) young man in the seventh round."

Class Grade: A-

The Falcons entered draft week with two picks in the first 117 selections. They exited with four players largely viewed as top 100 prospects and potential early-impact players.

Atlanta won't have a first or fifth-round selection in 2025, but if Fontenot, who's entering his fifth year as the team's general manager and has yet to post a winning record, doesn't have a successful 2025 campaign, he may not be around to bear the consequences next draft.

Walker and Pearce, as Fontenot alluded to Thursday night, were two of the best pass rushers in the SEC, which had three offensive tackles and an offensive guard go in the first 12 picks alone.

The Falcons were second-to-last in the NFL with 31 sacks last season. Walker and Pearce have the traits and proven production against high-level opponents to inspire confidence they can be part of the solution in 2025.

Watts and Bowman were first and second, respectively, in interceptions among safeties in the draft. The Falcons have 20 interceptions over the past two seasons -- tied for the fourth-fewest in the league -- and Bates has 10 of them.

Atlanta needed more players capable of taking the ball away. The Falcons added two of the most qualified players in the draft to do it -- at No. 96 and No. 118, both later than expected.

With right tackle Kaleb McGary entering a contract year in 2025, Atlanta spent time this spring evaluating developmental options. Nelson, who's started 37 games at tackle for a program known for its offensive linemen, is a fine direction to turn toward in the final frame.

But adding players is only half the battle. Falcons owner Arthur Blank referenced April 1 at the league meetings that a central part of what coaches do is maximizing players' skill sets within the system.

Based on consensus boards and track records, Atlanta added quality players. Now, the Falcons have to turn potential into production.