FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Jalon Walker, the first of two Atlanta Falcons' first-round draft picks Thursday night, said he wants "all the accolades" in his rookie season. He may have to contend with his new teammate, outside linebacker James Pearce Jr., for the biggest rookie award of them all.
Walker, who went 15th overall, has the second-best odds to be the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year at +650, while Pearce ranks fifth at +1200, according to Great Offshore Sportsbooks. The Falcons traded up 20 spots to select Pearce at No. 26 overall, mortgaging a future first-round pick in the process.
New York Giants outside linebacker Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick, has the highest odds at +225. Walker has better odds than the other three defenders taken before him -- No. 2 pick receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (+850), No. 11 pick defensive end Mykel Williams (+850) and No. 5 pick defensive tackle Mason Graham (+1400). DraftKings has the same odds.
A linebacker or pass rusher has won the award 11 of the past 14 years. Three Falcons players all-time have won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: defensive end Claude Humphrey in 1968, and co-winning linebackers Al Richardson and Buddy Curry in 1980.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich held the same role with the New York Jets in 2022 when cornerback Sauce Gardner took home the honor. Head coach Raheem Morris oversaw a pair of stout rookie pass rushers as the Los Angeles Rams' defensive coordinator in 2023: defensive tackle Kobie Turner and outside linebacker Byron Young had nine and eight sacks, respectively.
Can Pearce and Walker add their names to the list of standout rookies? Better yet, can they snap the Falcons' 45-year defensive rookie of the year drought? The odds are in their favor.
