Unfortunately for the Atlanta Falcons, their season came to an end after Week 18. The Falcons (8-9) allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to reclaim the NFC South by defeating the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Meanwhile, Atlanta failed to secure their own victory, falling to the Carolina Panthers.
Now, the Falcons turn their attention to the offseason, extending their playoff drought to seven consecutive seasons. A critical part of their offseason planning will focus on the 2025 NFL Draft. As of now, Atlanta appears locked in with the No. 15 overall pick in the first round.
This will be the Falcons’ lowest draft position since 2020, when they selected 16th overall. Over the past three years, Atlanta held the No. 8 pick, and in 2021 they picked No. 4 overall.
Head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot face a challenging offseason as they attempt to break the Falcons’ streak of losing seasons. According to Over The Cap, they’ll also need to address a roster with 30 impending free agents.
It’s a long time between now and late April, but it’s never too early to start considering who the Falcons’ top three targets should be in the 2025 NFL Draft.
James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee Volunteers
Will this finally be the year the Falcons prioritize an edge rusher? Many thought it was a sure bet last year, only for Atlanta to shock the draft world by selecting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall.
At least that move seems to have paid off, especially given Kirk Cousins’ noticeable regression.
One intriguing option for Atlanta is Tennessee Volunteers edge rusher James Pearce Jr. At one point, Pearce was projected to go No. 1 overall. However, his junior season didn’t quite live up to his breakout sophomore year, when he burst onto the scene.
In that standout sophomore campaign, Pearce racked up an impressive 10 sacks, one interception returned for a touchdown, one pass deflection, two forced fumbles, and 28 total tackles. This past season, he still delivered solid production, recording 38 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, one pass deflection, and one forced fumble.
While his junior numbers weren’t as eye-popping, they’re still far from disappointing. Pearce remains a likely first-round pick, given his very high ceiling in the NFL. The real question for the Falcons is whether they can snag him at No. 15 overall.
“He's a great athlete with very impressive movement skills, long arms and plenty of room for growth on his frame. That shows up the most as a pass-rusher, as he can win around the edge with speed, turn speed to power and effortlessly glide when moving laterally to be an effective looper when working line games or stunts,” per Bleacher Report.
Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
If not James Pearce Jr., then maybe Nic Scourton out of Texas A&M. The Purdue transfer, like Pearce, had a monster sophomore season, accounting for a Big Ten leading 10 sacks and 50 combined tackles and 15 for a loss.
In his first year at College Station this season under new head coach Mike Elko, he had five sacks and 37 total tackles, 14 for a loss.
Atlanta did their best by trying to make up for not drafting a pass rusher in the first round by then adding three pieces to the defensive front over their next four picks. However, nearly all of them dealt with injuries in 2024, including defensive end Bralen Trice, who was injured during camp and missed the entire season.
Scourton, however, with his size and strength, could be a true defensive end that creates the pressure up front that the Falcons have long been waiting for.
“He has the frame of a more traditional hand-in-the-ground defensive end, but both Texas A&M and Purdue lined him up as a standup outside linebacker and had him drop into coverage on several occasions,” per Bleacher Report.
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan Wolverines
If once again Atlanta veers off a pass rusher in the first round and finds Michigan corner Will Johnson there at No. 15, then they should jump at him.
A.J. Terrell signed his new four-year, $81 million deal just before the season started. But he was still basically all that Atlanta had at cornerback this season. Plus, among those 30 impending free agents is Mike Hughes, who was opposite of Terrell.
That makes perfect sense for one of highly-regarded players prospects in this years, in Johnson, to come aboard.
Johnson only played in six games for the Wolverines in 2024 due to turf toe, but when he was on the field prior, he was a lockdown corner that quarterbacks dared not try. Over his three seasons at Michigan, he had nine interceptions, with three of those returned for touchdowns. He would be a massive upgrade to the back end of the Falcons defense and one Atlanta fans would probably accept over a pass rusher.
“Will Johnson is a standout cornerback prospect from Michigan, bringing a rare combination of size, length, and physicality to the position. Standing at 6'2″ and weighing 202 pounds, Johnson has the ideal frame for an NFL cornerback, complemented by a filled-out build that enhances his ability to compete at a high level. His performance in both man and zone coverage and his versatility and aggressive playing style make him a highly-regarded prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft,” per Bleacher Report.