2025 has been a nightmare season for the Atlanta Falcons, but one of the few silver linings has been one of the best rookie classes in the NFL. The draft class is only aging better by the week, as all four key rookies have managed to play a pivotal role in the Falcons' stark defensive turnaround this year.
First-round EDGE rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. look like budding superstars, but their emergence has seen them capture the majority of the defensive attention in Atlanta as Defensive Rookie of the year frontrunners. But they're not the only rookies who have turned heads on defense.