After Georgia's Jalon Walker fell into their lap at pick No. 15, the team traded up to the 26th pick and took Tennessee's James Pearce Jr. Atlanta gave up a first-round pick in 2025 to the Los Angeles Rams to move up 20 spots for Pearce.

The Atlanta Falcons were committed to picking Jalon Walker at No. 15, but they wanted to add James Pearce Jr. to the mix. So, they became aggressive.

The Atlanta Falcons entered the 2025 NFL Draft needing pass-rushing help, as per usual. They addressed that need right away at No. 15 overall, stopping the slide of Georgia's Jalon Walker. That wasn't enough for general manager Terry Fontenot,