For the first time since general manager Terry Fontenot took over in 2021, the Atlanta Falcons selected a defensive player in the first round of the NFL draft. The team added Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick before trading up to take Tennessee edge James Pearce Jr. with the 26th overall pick.
While Falcons fans are familiar with Walker, they don’t know as much about Pearce. The Volunteers standout is known for his quick first step and elite athleticism. In a class full of prospects with modest production, Pearce has the numbers to match his measurables.
Over the last two seasons combined, Pearce recorded over 70 pressures and nearly 20 sacks. He tested off the charts at the NFL Scouting Combine, earning a relative athletic score (RAS) of 9.40.
James Pearce Jr. was drafted in round 1 pick 26 in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.40 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 122 out of 2029 DE from 1987 to 2025. https://t.co/DWTh6GrPuFpic.twitter.com/YvQ5fn7Jbv
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 25, 2025
The Falcons needed to make a splash on defense and they definitely did on Day 1. With Pearce and Walker joining a defensive front that added Leonard Floyd in free agency, perhaps the team will finish with more than 31 sacks in 2025.
Atlanta will be back on the clock on Friday with the third-round pick acquired in the Pearce trade. The team gave up its second-round pick, a future first-round pick and a seventh-rounder in exchange for the Rams‘ first-round pick (No. 26) and third-rounder (No. 1).
Falcons’ remaining draft picks on Days 2-3
- Round 3 – Pick No. 101 (from Rams)
- Round 4 – Pick No. 118
- Round 7 – Pick No. 218
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Falcons rookie James Pearce has elite RAS score