FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. are part of a rather rare club.
This century, only 10 other teams drafted two members for their defensive front in the same first round. The Atlanta Falcons became the 11th team to do so when they selected Walker at No. 15 and Pearce at No. 26 earlier this year. They joined the likes of Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith Jr. with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023, Chandler Jones and Don't'a Hightower with the New England Patriots in 2012, B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews with the Green Bay Packers in 2009 and Shaun Ellis and John Abraham with the New York Jets in 2000.
"They've developed a relationship, which is not always given," Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. "Especially guys that play the same position, both first-round picks, because sometimes there is a level of healthy and sometimes a level of unhealthy competition amongst guys like that. But I feel like they found that balance and they really complement each other in a lot of really cool ways."
Walker and Pearce's bond began to form the day after they were drafted. Although Walker went to the University of Georgia and Pearce attended the University of Tennessee, both are originally from North Carolina. When the Falcons sent their private plane to scoop their first-round picks, the two met up in the Charlotte area beforehand.
Once they arrived at the Flowery Branch practice facility, Walker and Pearce went through a car wash of obligations — from touring the building to meeting the staff to photo opportunities, media availability, the works. Side by side, Walker and Pearce were collectively introduced to their new life.
"Ever since we loaded up the jet and landed in Atlanta," Pearce said, "that's been my guy."
Said Walker: "I feel like we're two compatible people. People might see us as polar opposites. But me and James really get along."
On and off the field.
Look no further than Weeks 9-10 when Walker and Pearce tag-teamed a strip sack and fumble recovery in back-to-back games. In Week 9, it was Walker who knocked the ball loose from New England quarterback Drake Maye, and it was Pearce who recovered and advanced the ball to the Patriots' 6-yard line. In Week 10, Pearce swiped the ball out of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones' hand and Walker was there to jump on it.
"He'll be thunder one day; I'll be lightning one day," Pearce said. "I'll be thunder one day; he'll be lightning one day."
Walker liked the sound of that: "Thunder and lightning. There you go."
Walker and Pearce are each firmly in the mix for the NFL's 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year award. They're tied for most sacks among first-year players with five apiece as Week 14 games approach. Pearce's 10 quarterback hits rank fourth; Walker's seven tie for fifth. Pearce's 31 pressures, according to Next Gen Stats, are second-most among rookies; Walker's 20 are seventh.
The two fare even better in Next Gen Stats' pressure rate. Pearce is impacting the quarterback on 14.7% of his rushers, which is the highest rate in the league among rookies with at least 100 pass rush snaps. Walker is just behind with an 11% pressure rate, which ranks fourth.
"For them to have the success they've had so early, it's exciting because they're just scratching the surface — both of them," Ulbrich said. "James is a guy that's played that position for the vast majority of his life, and, obviously, he did it at Tennessee. Where 'J Walk,' this is still new to him, being primarily at one spot like he is.
"Both of them, they have so much potential."
The Falcons still have five games left on their schedule, starting with Sunday's 1 p.m. ET contest against the Seattle Seahawks inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Although the path would be very difficult, there’s still a chance Atlanta makes the playoffs.
Regardless, Walker and Pearce are in Atlanta for at least another three seasons. They'll forever be known as the Falcons' 2025 first-round draft picks. They've grown into a dynamic duo.
"We're brothers," Walker said. "At the end of the day, we were brought in together and we'll leave together."
Said Pearce: "Stories are wrote like this."
