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Falcons Trade Back Into First Round To Draft James Pearce Jr. At No. 26 Overall
The Atlanta Falcons traded up with the Los Angeles Rams and selected Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday night. The Falcons took Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker with their first pick in the first round at No. 15. It's not a surprise that the Falcons loaded up on the defensive line early in this draft given how lacking they were in the pass-rush department in 2024. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Pearce is explosive off the ball with good speed and power, but he wasn't all that consistent with the Volunteers at the collegiate level. The young pass-rusher was a first-team All SEC selection last year and led Tennessee with 13 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks while playing in all 13 games (nine starts). Pearce's weakness is that he lacks bend, and he'll need to improve his technique as a run defender. But in terms of need, the Falcons hit on both of their first-round picks.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
