The Atlanta Falcons made a surprising move by trading back into the first round to select another edge rusher.
It was speculated that the Falcons may draft not one, but two edge rushers in this year’s NFL Draft. They wasted no time making that happen while trading back into the first round in the Los Angeles Rams spot to select James Pearce Jr. from the Tennessee Volunteers.
The jury has been out regarding where Pearce Jr. will be selected. Initially, he was slated to be a guaranteed first-round choice, but as the season passed, experts thought he might be a better fit for the second round.
Atlanta gave up a fair amount of real estate to grab Pearce Jr., with one of the picks given up being the team’s first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Atlanta now has two playmakers in the first round who earned All-SEC honors while at Tennessee and Georgia.
With the 15th pick of the first round, Atlanta also selected Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Jalon Walker, a player who can also play on or off the ball. It has been well known that Atlanta intends to bolster its defense, and they have done just that with these two picks so far.
Pearce Jr. is a versatile speed rusher who can disrupt plays at an alarming rate. He is also big, at 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds. Although his stats were down slightly in 2024, Pearce Jr. still managed 7.5 sacks during his last season with Tennessee.
Related: The Falcons Select Edge Rusher Jalon Walker With The 15th Pick In This Year’s NFL Draft