Falcon Report

Falcons Get UGA 'Chaos Creator', Sleeper DB in ESPN 2-Round Mock Draft

The Atlanta Falcons add a pair of impact defenders in Jordan Reid's two-round NFL Mock Draft on ESPN, including Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker.

Scott Kennedy

The Atlanta Falcons take Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker in Jordan Reid's latest NFL Mock Draft on ESPN.
The Atlanta Falcons take Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker in Jordan Reid's latest NFL Mock Draft on ESPN. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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The Atlanta Falcons have a chance to improve their defense in a big way in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Falcons have openings on every level of their defense, and this draft class is loaded on that side of the ball as balance is restored after an offensive heavy 2024.

Virtually every mock draft that has been released for this cycle has the Falcons taking a defensive player, and ESPN's Jordan Reid is no different in the two-round post-combine mock draft he released on ESPN+.

He has the Falcons taking Georgia Bulldogs hybrid linebacker Jalon Walker at 15 after watching his teammate Mykel Williams go No. 8 to the Carolina Panthers.

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"Jalon Walker can provide the Falcons with quick pass-rush help," wrote Reid on ESPN+. "He finished with 6.5 sacks this season, and his 17.1% pressure rate was fifth in the FBS. He's a bit of a tweener at 6-foot-1 and 243 pounds, but the Falcons need a chaos creator behind the line of scrimmage. Walker can be used in multiple ways as an aggressive edge defender who frequently changes alignment."

The Falcons have a player like this already. Kaden Elliss had a breakout season in 2024 with 151 tackles and five sacks. If Walker were to join the team, Elliss and Walker could team up as hybrid linebackers who can line up in a variety of roles depending on down and distance.

The Falcons won't solve edge and linebacker with one player. They need to address both positions this offseason. Troy Andersen offers the athleticism to be a standout at inside linebacker, but his availability has been a problem through his three-years as a Falcon.

Atlanta also has a few holes in the secondary. Safety Justin Simmons and cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Dee Alford are scheduled to be free agents next week.

Reid addresses the cornerback spot in the second round when the Falcons swing big on ECU cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. who is coming off a knee injury.

"Atlanta would be thrilled to get Revel as its No. 2 cornerback at this spot," wrote of the Falcons picking No. 46. "Prior to tearing an ACL, he was on track to being a late first-rounder. Revel would be a perfect fit opposite A.J. Terrell because he can thrive in a mixture of press man and zone coverage."

Getting a first round talent in the second round is the kind of luck general manager Terry Fontenot needs to have coming out of this draft. Revel might not be 100% in September, but he should get stronger and stronger as the season wears on.

Free agency opens next week, and the draft is at the end of April. The Falcons have holes in their starting lineup at edge, safety, linebacker, and cornerback. Ideally, they'd like to use their first-two picks on edge and corner.

Those are the premium positions that are considerably harder to fill in free agency. The Falcons can get good players at safety and inside linebacker in free agency for less money than edge and cornerback.

However, the Falcons need difference makers on defense. If they think safeties Malaki Starks of Georgia or Nick Emmanwori of South Carolina are bigger impact players than the edge rushers on the board at No. 15, safety could be in play.

It's not ideal that the Falcons have a lot of holes to fill on defense, but the good news is, this is the draft to help provide balance for a team that has seen most of its resources pumped into the other side of the ball in recent drafts.

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Scott Kennedy
SCOTT KENNEDY

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