The Atlanta Falcons’ 2025 draft class was once hailed as a franchise-defining haul. Just a few weeks ago, it looked like Atlanta had hit a home run-landing multiple defensive starters and making bold moves to reshape the future of the roster.
But fast forward to today, and that narrative has taken a sharp turn. The arrest of first-round pick James Pearce Jr. has cast a long shadow over what was shaping up to be one of the league’s most promising draft classes.
Let’s be clear: the off-field situation involving Pearce is out of the Falcons’ control. But the decision to trade up and invest heavily in the Tennessee edge rusher?
That’s on them. Atlanta sent a significant package to the Rams to move back into the first round-giving up their 2025 second- and seventh-round picks, plus a 2026 first-rounder.
In return, they selected Pearce at No. 26 overall and got back a third-rounder, which they used to take safety Xavier Watts.
That trade looked aggressive at the time, but defensible. Now, with Pearce’s legal troubles front and center, it’s become a costly gamble that may not pay off. And that’s why we’re seeing the Falcons’ draft grade slide from A+ territory to something closer to a ‘B’, per NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice, who ranked their five-man class 14th overall.
But it’s not all doom and gloom in Atlanta. In fact, there’s still a lot to like about this rookie group.
Let’s start with Jalon Walker. The linebacker showed flashes of high-level play and is expected to take a major step forward in Year 2.
Xavier Watts, despite being overlooked in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting-he earned just one first-place vote-was a consistent presence in the secondary and looks like a long-term starter. And Billy Bowman Jr. was playing some of his best football before a season-ending injury cut his rookie campaign short.
That’s three defensive pieces who could be in the starting lineup come Week 1, and all three have shown they belong. That’s not something every team can say about its rookie class.
Just look at the Packers. Their eight-man class, which includes names like Matthew Golden, Anthony Belton, and Savion Williams, hasn’t inspired much confidence.
Outside of Golden, there’s no clear-cut starter in that group heading into next season. That’s why Green Bay landed at the bottom of NFL.com’s draft rankings.
So yes, the Pearce situation is a major blemish. And yes, giving up a future first-rounder for a player now facing legal issues is a tough pill to swallow.
But zoom out for a second, and you still see a draft class that delivered three potential starters on defense. That’s a win in most front offices.
Former GM Terry Fontenot took a big swing. And while the Pearce pick may end up being a miss, the Falcons still came away with foundational pieces. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has to be thrilled with the talent infusion-Walker, Watts, and Bowman all bring speed, instincts, and versatility to a unit that needed a youth movement.
This draft may not go down as the home run it once promised to be, but it’s far from a bust. The Falcons still have a young core to build around, and if their rookies continue to develop, the long-term outlook remains bright.