Falcons Draft Picks: Who Did Atlanta Take in 2025?

The Atlanta Falcons swung two trades and made five picks in the 2025 NFL draft, ultimately ending with a class that pleased head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.

Here’s who the Falcons took across the three-day event:

Round 1, No. 15 overall: Jalon Walker, LB/edge, Georgia

Walker led Georgia with 10.5 tackles for loss this season. At 6'2", 245 pounds, Walker is explosive, rangy and capable of making game-changing plays as both an inside linebacker and edge rusher.

The 21-year-old Walker had 61 tackles this season while playing more snaps at inside linebacker than rushing the passer, but he still recorded 34 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

TRADE -- Round 1, No. 26 overall: James Pearce Jr., edge, Tennessee

Trade details: The Falcons moved up from No. 46 overall in the second round to No. 26 in the first, giving away a 2026 first-round pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 242 overall). Atlanta also acquired a third-round pick in 2025: No. 101, the second-to-last pick on Day 2.

The 21-year-old Pearce is a two-time first-team All-SEC selection. In 2023, he led the Volunteers with 14 tackles for loss and was eighth in the FBS with 10 sacks across 13 games. Pearce again led Tennessee in tackles for loss with 13 in 2024 while adding 7.5 sacks.

Pearce has an off-field resume worth examining. He was arrested in December 2023 for disobeying orders from police after being pulled over for speeding and driving on a suspended license, though charges were later dropped after he showed he received a new driver’s license and paid his speeding ticket.

Fontenot said the team had an "exhaustive" process to explore Pearce's off-field questions and ultimately felt comfortable.

[RELATED: Why Falcons Are Comfortable with James Pearce Jr. Despite Off-Field Questions]

TRADE -- Round 3, No. 96 overall: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

Trade details: Atlanta moved up five spots from No. 101 and gave away a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 23-year-old Watts has an illustrious resume. In 2023, he won the Nagurski Award given annually to the nation’s top defender, and he earned consensus All-American honors in both 2023 and 2024.

Watts, who stands 6’0”, 204 pounds, is lauded for his instincts and elite ball skills. He tied for the FBS lead with seven interceptions in 2023 and was tied for second with six takeaways in 2024. Watts has experience playing single-high safety, in the box and at nickel.

[RELATED: Falcons Call 3rd-Round Pick Xavier Watts a 'Stud.' His Resume Says They're Right.]

Round 4, No. 118 overall: Billy Bowman Jr., DB, Oklahoma

The 5'10", 192-pound Bowman started 41 games across four seasons at Oklahoma. He was a first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2023 after finishing tied for fourth in the FBS with six interceptions and leading the FBS with three pick-sixes. He was a third-team All-SEC selection in 2024, notching 54 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and three pass breakups.

Bowman has 13 career interceptions. The Falcons plan on playing him at nickel corner early in his career.

Round 7, No. 218 overall: Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin

The 6'7", 314-pound Nelson started his final 50 games at Wisconsin. His first 13 starts came at right guard in 2021, when he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention. The final 37 were at left tackle. Nelson earned All-Big Ten honorable mention again in 2022.

Nelson said after the draft concluded he feels better suited to play right tackle in the NFL.

Quick Facts

- Walker is the first University of Georgia player the Falcons have ever taken in the first round.
- Each of Atlanta's five draft picks spent their entire college careers at the same school.
- Through his first four drafts as general manager, Terry Fontenot had made four trades -- all in the second round. He made one in the first round and another in the third round this year.
- The Falcons' first three draft picks all played in the College Football Playoff