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Maxx Crosby Didn't Hesitate to Name His Favorite NFL Draft Picks

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Austin C. Boyd | Last updated May 5, 2025 1:36 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have been receiving some praise for the 2025 NFL Draft class they put together, but defensive end Maxx Crosby has been paying attention to league at large.

Crosby paid close attention to the draft, and there were a couple of picks that stood out to him. The star defensive end was asked what his favorite draft pick was, and he particularly liked what the Atlanta Falcons did in the first round, drafting a pair of edge rushers in Jalon Walker and James Pearce.

“They need pass-rush,” Crosby said on "The Rush." “They need to get after the quarterback. They’ve been in dire need. For years now, they’ve been struggling to get to the quarterback. (Expletive) it. We’re going all in. We’re drafting two D-Ends in the first round ... The two best ends who we think, in our opinion.’ They got Pearce from Tennessee, they got [Walker] from Georgia. They got two young ballers who are going to go in there and develop, and hopefully be two bookends for years to come. That’s what they envisioned in those guys.”

Not everybody was high on what the Falcons did. NFL.com thought they had the 29th-ranked class this year. Crosby disagrees and thinks both of the first-round pass rushers they added will be impact players.

“I’ve watched both their film,” he said. “Dawgs. Boy from Georgia? Dawg. He’s an absolute dawg. I watched his film; he’s a problem. Pearce, I know people have had their opinions. Turn the film on. Get him around good mentors; he’s young, he’s going to learn, he’s going to grow up. I had to go through it; so does everybody else in the league. Get him around the right people and support system, and that kid can be special.”

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

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