FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons' defensive tackles executed a different style of play in 2025 thanks to a new position coach.
Nate Ollie arrived in Atlanta last offseason and instantly implemented an attack-style front.
It worked.
Although the interior linemen weren't alone in setting the Falcons' single-season franchise sack record, they jointly produced more than any other position group, contributing 25.5 of the team's 57 sacks. Brandon Dorlus led his position room with 8.5 sacks. LaCale London had five, and Zach Harrison had 4.5.
Learn more below about how the Falcons' defensive tackles performed in 2025 and the position group's outlook for 2026.
Roster Recap: Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Offensive line
2025 production:
| Player | Games Played | Starts | Total tackles | Solo tackles | Sacks | Tackles for loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Onyemata | 17 | 17 | 62 | 29 | 1 | 7 |
| Brandon Dorlus | 15 | 9 | 27 | 15 | 8.5 | 11 |
| Ruke Orhorhoro | 17 | 8 | 25 | 12 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Zach Harrison | 7 | 7 | 22 | 9 | 4.5 | 5 |
| LaCale London | 13 | 5 | 30 | 17 | 5 | 7 |
| Sam Roberts | 5 | 1 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Kentavius Street | 7 | 0 | 21 | 11 | 2 | 3 |
Standout stat: Dorlus' 8.5 sacks were the second most by an NFL defensive tackle this season. They were the fourth-most sacks by a Falcons defensive tackle in a single season since 1982, when sacks became an official individual statistic.
- Dorlus didn't have any sacks as a rookie in 2024. His 8.5-sack improvement this season was the largest increase in sacks by any defensive tackle from 2024 to 2025.
Players under contract for 2026:
- Brandon Dorlus
- Ruke Orhorhoro
- Zach Harrison
- Ben Stille (future/reserve)
2026 Free agents:
- David Onyemata
- Kentavius Street
- Elijah Garcia
- Sam Roberts
- LaCale London
Biggest question facing the position group in 2026:
Can the defensive front improve against the run?
While the Falcons' pass rush vastly improved last season, the defense struggled to slow down opponents on the ground at times. The unit allowed 126 rushing yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry, which ranked 24th and 25th in the NFL, respectively.
Fixing this will require the Falcons' young talent to take another step forward next season, especially since veteran Onyemata may not remain in Atlanta. Dorlus and Orhorhoro took a huge jump from Year 1 to 2 and finished with 12 combined sacks. Harrison was en route to a strong Year 3 until a knee injury landed him on injured reserve in Week 12.
Onyemata took the most snaps among the tackles, playing 57.4% of the defense's total. Orhorhoro wasn't too far behind with 54.3%. Regardless, if the Falcons don't re-sign Onyemata, he'll leave a large void in need of filling. Maybe someone who shows an ability to tackle a runner at — better yet, before — the line of scrimmage will earn those extra reps. That would solve two problems with one body.
Sustaining leads on offense in the second half of games should also help Atlanta improve its numbers against the run next season, as it would force opponents to throw the ball more frequently while playing catch-up.
