The Atlanta Falcons entered the 2025 NFL Draft needing pass-rushing help, as per usual. They addressed that need right away at No. 15 overall, stopping the slide of Georgia's Jalon Walker. That wasn't enough for general manager Terry Fontenot,

However, Cousins struggled in his first season in Atlanta, with Penix taking over as the starter for the final three games of the season.Atlanta has just five picks in this year’s draft. They traded their third-round pick to New England in exchange for LB Matt Judon last year,

The Falcons boosted their pass rush Thursday, trading up to the No. 26 pick to select James Pearce Jr. after earlier selecting Jalon Walker at No. 15.