Falcons Have Golden Draft Opportunity Despite Little Capital: Analyst

The Atlanta Falcons possess their lowest first-round pick in the NFL Draft in five years. They also don't have choices in the third, fifth or sixth rounds.

But The Athletic's Derrik Klassen still likes the possibilities for the Falcons in the 2025 Draft.

Klassen included the Falcons on a list of five teams picking outside the top 5 who could find the "quickest roster fixes" in this year's draft.

The area of need Klassen anticipates the Falcons addressing most in the 2025 draft class is the pass rush.

"Like their division rivals in Carolina, the Falcons need a pass rusher. They always do. Nobody under the age of 30 can vividly remember the last time the Falcons had a legitimately good pass rush," wrote Klassen.

"Atlanta’s options may be slightly less abundant, seeing as they are picking further down the board (No. 15). Still, it’s totally possible one of Stewart or Williams could be on the board. Stewart’s explosive potential probably makes him more appealing to new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, but either player would be good value in the mid-teens.

"A lot of the other likely options at 15 — Green, James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) — may be a hair small for a four-down front like Ulbrich’s. The high-octane pass-rushing ceiling those prospects offer might be enough to sway Atlanta anyway."

The Falcons haven't drafted an edge rusher in the first round since 2017. Since then, the Falcons have picked a defensive lineman in the second round three times.

That's not a formula that's worked very well for the organization. But if the Falcons again choose to wait to address the pass rush in the second round, Klassen still likes Atlanta's chances of adding a quality prospect.

"If the Falcons want to wait a bit, they’ll have some good options in the second round. Landon Jackson (Arkansas) is an explosive 6-foot-6, 264-pounder. Nic Scourton (Texas A&M) was expected to be a first-round pick a year ago when he was at Purdue, before he transferred and added 20 pounds. Both players have the build and flashes of pass-rushing upside to warrant an investment," wrote Klassen.

Something in the middle of Klassen's two scenarios is also very possible for the Falcons. That'd be a trade back from No. 15 overall to somewhere later in the first round. The Falcons could gain more draft capital in a trade yet still land a highly-touted edge rushing prospect on Day 1.

AtlantaFalcons.com's Tori McElhaney explored that possibility in her latest NFL mock draft Thursday.

In conclusion, the 2025 draft class is deep at edge rusher. Despite only three draft picks before the seventh round, the deep class at the team's biggest area of need will give the Falcons options and a chance at immediate improvement.