Since being hired by the Atlanta Falcons back in 2021, it’s no understatement that Terry Fontenot has made plenty of mistakes. But he also hit on players like Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and seemingly Michael Penix Jr in the first round of the NFL Draft. Fontenot has been quick to retool the offense to his liking, but the 2025 NFL Draft was centered around the defense.
With just five picks, Fontenot and Raheem Morris drafted four immediate contributors for Jeff Ulbrich’s defense. All four of James Pearce Jr, Jalon Walker, Xavier Watts, and Billy Bowman Jr showed flashes of stardom in Week 1, setting the tone for a defense that displayed improvement from a dismal 2024.