The Falcons shocked the world last year when they used their 8th overall pick to select Washington QB Michael Penix, Jr. It was the first bombshell to drop on night one that sent shockwaves and left many - NFL and Falcons faithful - scratching their heads. It was hard to justify using a top 10 pick in a position that spent significant free agent dollars towards a month before and had more imperative, pressing needs on defense.
The hope in 2025 is, that there's no overthinking this time. This year is loaded with defensive line talent and would be the wise (and right) decision to invest as much as possible in those resources. The Falcons have only five picks pre-Draft, but that could change as the Draft commences. Atlanta traded its third round pick before camp last season to New England for edge rusher Matthew Judon in an attempt to fix their mistake with a band-aid solution. That left even more salt on the wound, as Judon underwhelmed, finishing with 5.5 sacks and is now a free agent.
The Falcons had the second fewest sacks in the NFL, making EDGE a priority in this Draft. Now, the Falcons have some young pieces to work with defensively that they can build around. Their defensive line is still raw, but they have young developing edge rushers in Zach Harrison and Bralen Trice who may take greater steps this year. Ruke Orhorhoro will get his shot to be an every-down 3T disruptor, succeeding his predecessor Grady Jarrett.
Adding Mike Green to the mix brings the one key element that Atlanta's defense has been lacking for so long - instant impact off the edge. Green was a mega-producer for Marshall in 2024, leading the nation in sacks with 17. The Falcons need an explosive threat that offenses will have to account for on a week to week basis. If Green can show flashes of that in year one, it will change the entire look of the Falcons defense in 2025.
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