Are five picks really enough? This article breaks down the ideal outcome of the 2025 NFL Draft for the Atlanta Falcons. There will not be trades involved; however, if a trade-back is ideal, it will absolutely be mentioned along with a potential target.
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Round One (15th Overall) Dream Target: Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia
Jalon Walker is getting a lot of buzz as a top-ten target in the draft. There is a solid chance that he goes in that range, but the lack of a combination of height, arm length, and experience at edge rusher could push him down boards over other prospects.
That being said, Walker is touted for his great leadership off the field and being extremely effective as both a linebacker and edge rusher on the field.
Jeff Ulbrich’s system is best suited for stand-up outside linebacker edge rushers, so the Georgia product is a perfect fit. If he does fail as an edge rusher, linebacker is always a great fallback plan.
This is a key trade-back spot, though. If Shedeur Sanders is here, or if another top-end talent falls, take the call, and take the picks. If possible, still target Donovan Ezeiruaku after the trade down.
Round Two (46th Overall) Dream Target: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
Boundary cornerback two has been a lacking area for years. Amos is projected to go late-first to early-second, but there is a universe where he slips to 46.
The Ole Miss product has an intriguing athletic profile. He ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and 1006 broad jump (which are perfectly acceptable) with a 4.36-second shuttle and 32.5-inch vertical (not so much). Essentially, the change-of-direction ability is in question as is his explosiveness, but it is not remotely enough to outweigh the tape.
Amos is physical, sticky, and great at the catch point. A.J. Terrell would absolutely be a great mentor to help the former Rebel reach his ceiling
Round Four (118th Overall) Dream Target: Jared Wilson, C, Georgia
Losing Drew Dalman hurts. An offensive line is only as good as its weakest link, and center could use an upgrade.
Georgia’s Jared Wilson popped off at the NFL Combine, boasting a 4.84-second forty-yard dash on top of a multitude of other great numbers. The tape backs this up as well, but it also highlights key areas of improvement that may be the main reason he slips to the fourth.
The wins are remarkable, the physical traits are off-the-charts, but the losses are simply daunting. Whether it is allowing an easy lane to the ball carrier or not tracking the second-level defender properly and whiffing on a block downfield, the room for improvement is obvious.
Wilson can absolutely start, but there may be some headaches early on. Regardless, an upgrade is an upgrade.
Round Seven (218th Overall) Dream Target: Barryn Sorrell, EDGE, Texas
Even with Jalon Walker early on, the edge group needs an early-down run defender. Barryn Sorrell could go as high as the fourth round, but there is a legitimate chance that he gets lost in the mix of quality edge rushers in this class and falls here.
The Texas product also has over a 19% pass rush win rate from other positions on the defensive line (check out the tweet below), so there is some versatility added on passing downs when the true pass rushers go on the field.
Sorrell is a safe pick to bolster a needy edge corps.
Round Seven (242nd Overall) Dream Target: LaJohntay Wester, WR, Colorado
Enough defense and trenches already! LaJohntay Wester is a dynamic weapon to add to a relatively weak receiving corps. There is almost zero depth worth mentioning, so wide receiver is a must sometime in this draft.
The Colorado product provides explosiveness, reliability, and even stints of blocking ability at a compact frame. His slender build at 5’10 163 lbs will scare many teams, but that is why the Falcons need to take advantage of that fear and bring in a talent that could challenge for day two if he were bigger.
Honestly, Wester should get noticeable snaps (if not start) in 2025. That is well worth pick 242.
