Falcons Must Commit To Defensive Line With Their First Two Picks

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Hery Acosta | Last updated Apr 12, 2025 5:07 PM ET

The Atlanta Falcons let go of Grady Jarrett in the offseason and had multiple issues with the defensive line last season, one big one being not getting to the quarterback. They ranked 31st in the NFL, only behind the New England Patriots. The Falcons want to improve this number, and the first step is to go back-to-back defensive linemen.

Marshall edge rusher Mike Green, Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, and Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. are three big names too look for the Falcons taking at 15 if they do not trade up. Any one of those players could make an immediate impact on the team and help those sack numbers increase dramatically.

The second round is where things get tricky for the Falcons, as they could go multiple directions after going defensive line in the first round. It would not come as a shock at all if the Falcons went in the same direction that they did in the first round. This is a defensive line heavy draft that can see multiple stars drafted in rounds one and two.

With the 46th pick, y the Falcons could look to select players like Landon Jackson out of Arkansas or T.J. Sanders out of South Carolina. There are talks of the Falcons potentially going secondary with this pick but will not rule out drafting another defensive lineman to complement their first-round pick.

The team will look to improve their defense overall and with the draft coming up and many prospects that have met with the Falcons will look to potentially join the team in April.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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