Which Edge Rushers Should Atlanta Falcons Target In NFL Draft?

With free agency and the NFL Draft approaching, it's about time that the Atlanta Falcons address their defensive struggles at the line of scrimmage. According to PFF, the Falcons had the third lowest pass-rushing grade in the NFL, finishing with the second-fewest sacks in the league. Their rush defense isn’t doing much better, ranking among the league's bottom half.

No Falcon defender cracked the top-ten in either pass rush or run-stop win rate. Arnold Ebiketie flashed some promise, finishing with five sacks in his final six games. With that being said, if a team’s leading pass-rusher only has six sacks in 17 games, he isn’t showing the consistency of a dominant pass rusher.

Falcons On SI takes a look at three 2025 edge prospects that could help soothe the teams defensive struggles:

1. Mike Green, Marshall

Green finished the year leading the entire FBS in sacks (17), tackles for loss (22.5), and tackles by a defensive lineman (84). The redshirt sophomore was named the Sun Belt Player of The Year while setting a conference record for sacks in a season, while also tying a school record.

By comparison, defensive end Shemar Stewart of Texas A&M, a popular pick for the Falcons in mock drafts, registered 4.5 sacks in three seasons.

And you can’t just call it a day after looking at his stat sheet. Green possesses enough twitch and quickness to make offensive tackles look like they’re moving in slow motion, consistently exploding off the line quicker than anybody on the field.

Once Green gets a favorable jump off the line of scrimmage he either uses his flexibility to bend and squeeze his way into the backfield, or he combines his strength with ideal leverage to forklift would-be blockers off their feet. On the rare occasion that an offensive tackle gets a strong jump on him, Green utilizes an array of violent hand swipes, counter-spin moves, and finesse-oriented pass-rush moves to sneak into the backfield.

After putting on a show at the Senior Bowl, Green said, “No thanks” to the rest of the week and headed back to prepare for the draft. That’s confidence. According to PFF, the 6 foot 3 and 251 pound edge rusher is the 11th best overall prospect heading into this year's draft.

2. Jalon Walker, Georgia

The 2024 Butkus Award winner (nation’s top linebacker) doesn’t just tackle, he disrupts. Walker led the Bulldogs in tackles for loss (10.5) and tied for the team lead in sacks (6.5), earning 2024 First-Team All-America honors.

The son of a college head football coach, Walker’s versatility spans far beyond his physical tools. His undeniable athleticism makes him an immediate threat to opposing quarterbacks, but he also has the processing ability and discipline to lead the defense as a middle linebacker.

While his ability to play multiple positions is encouraging, his most exciting potential comes as a pass rusher. Remember, Micah Parson was considered an inside linebacker in the 2021 NFL Draft. Among qualifying players (minimum. 300 plays), Walker had the ninth-best pass rushing grade for an FBS linebacker according to PFF.

Walker often builds up enough steam to knock offensive lineman on their heels, using his powerful torque to gain strong hand positioning after an explosive jump off the ball. While his physical dominance likely won't completely transfer to the professional level, he keeps blockers guessing by implementing several effective pass-rushing tactics (spin, stutter-bull rush, speed rush, shock and shed).

At No. 52 overall per PFF, he might be flying under the radar, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he shoots up the board by draft day. NFL Mock Draft Database aggregates several big boards and the consensus is Walker is No. 15 overall. The Falcons pick… 15 overall.

After taking his high school track times and off-season testing results into account, Walker is projected to run a 4.57 40 yard dash at the combine. With that speed at 6 foot 2 and 245 pounds, he fits the mold of other prototypical edge rushers like T.J. Watt and Parsons.

3. JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State

The former No.1 defensive lineman in the country in 2021, Tuimoloau made three All-Big Ten teams during his time as a Buckeye, also earning a Second-Team All-America nod in 2023. While helping lead Ohio State to a National Championship, his 12.5 sacks led the team (fifth-most among FBS players.)

At 6 foot 4 and 270 pounds, Tuimoloau still displays enough flexibility to bend around the edge effortlessly. His ability to immediately “get skinny” without having to use many elaborate, time-consuming techniques often puts him in an immediate position to stop the run.

By truly “setting the edge” and rarely overcommitting, Tuimoloau is nearly as effective as a run-stopper (fifth-most tackles on the team) as he is as a pass-rusher.

PFF has him ranked as the No. 43 player overall, possibly because he is overshadowed by fellow Buckeye edge rusher Jack Sawyer (No.21 prospect overall). While they both likely benefited from playing alongside each other, Tuimoloau is taller, heavier and finished with more sacks and tackles last season.

He’s a different prospect than Green or Walker. He’s more Myles Garrett’s 272 pounds than Micah Parsons (246 at his pro day).

Based on his previous comments, Falcons new defensive coordinator Jeff Uhlbrich plans to utilize a variety of defensive schemes throughout his time in Atlanta. While he is listed as an edge rusher, Tuimoloau also possesses the size and strength to be used as a traditional 3-4 defensive end (4-5 technique).

The Falcons haven’t drafted a defensive player in the first round since A.J. Terrell in 2020. The much maligned Thomas Dimitroff hit on Terrell. General manager Terry Fontenot has gone offensive skill in all-four of his previous drafts, but the defense can no longer be ignored.

Fontenot and the Falcons have surprised everyone before in the first round, not going defense this year in the first would definitely qualify as another shock.