Atlanta Falcons Draft Pick Ecstatic to Play With Tennessee Vol James Pearce

Atlanta Falcons draft pick Jalon Walker was ecstatic to learn Tennessee's James Pearce was teaming up with him.

Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce (DL59) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Atlanta Falcons draft pick Jalon Walker was ecstatic to learn Tennessee's James Pearce was teaming up with him.

The 2025 NFL draft concluded this past weekend and the Tennessee Volunteers had several players selected during the seven rounds. The first player off the board was James Pearce as the Atlanta Falcons traded back into the first round to select Pearce.

The Falcons prioritized pass rushers during this year's draft as they selected Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker at 15th overall and then followed that by selecting Pearce. Two SEC players that proved during their careers that they have the ability to get after the quarterback on a regular basis.

Following the first round, Walker was asked about when he learned about the Falcons drafting Pearce and what his reaction to the pick was. Here is what he had to say:

“I didn’t know, I was doing media and all the rest of these and was driving to Charlotte," Walker said. "Then I looked at my phone and was like ‘What? James Pearce is an Atlanta Falcon!’ That was pretty special. We have a connection from just being from North Carolina and of course from playing against him when he was at Tennessee.”

Walker and Pearce are very familiar with one another. They have played against one another over the last three seasons with Tennessee and Georgia being annual opponents. Now, Pearce and Walker will team up with one another to help rejuvenate Atlanta's pass rush, something that has been lacking for the Falcons for nearly the last 10 years.

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