FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons categorize draft prospects into three buckets.
The first bucket consists of what Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith called "win-because-of starters." Elite. Solid. High level. Those were some of the adjectives Smith used to describe the talent in this bucket, the size of which varies from year to year but it is always the smallest of the three.
The second bucket consists of win-with starters. There are normally more names in this bucket than the first, and the range in which these players are taken changes based on the specific draft.
The third and biggest bucket is full of role and depth players, the kind most teams find on Day 3.
"This year, we were very confident with our bucketing system," Smith said Wednesday. "We felt like it aligned where, the value of the player, where we were picking, it all kind of lined up for us."
The Falcons entered the 2025 NFL Draft with five picks throughout the seven rounds — one in the first, second and fourth rounds and two in the seventh. They ultimately made five picks, but two were in the first, one was in the third, one was in the fourth and one in the seventh. They tipped the scale in favor of the start rather than end.
Atlanta selected edge rusher Jalon Walker with the No. 15 overall pick.
The change came when the Falcons made a trade with the Los Angeles Rams for No. 26. Atlanta gained that first-round pick, along with No. 101 in the third round. It lost its No. 46 in the second round, No. 242 in the seventh round and next year's first-round pick.
The Falcons chose edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with that second first-round pick.
"You always need multiple pressure players," Smith said. "If we're going into next year, we were hoping that a Jalon Walker would be there next year, a James Pearce would be there next year – to take another pressure player. Well, this year, we're sitting there and we've got an opportunity, if it works, to take two players from that bucket."
The top one. The best one.
So, as Smith explained it, the Falcons feel they didn't give up a first-round pick, they simply used next year's pick this year.
Then, there was another trade. Atlanta moved up in the third round by sending No. 101 and a 2026 fifth-rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for No. 96, which the Falcons used to obtain safety Xavier Watts.
From there on, the Falcons stayed put. They picked defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. at No. 118 in the fourth round and offensive tackle Jack Nelson at No. 218 in the seventh round.
"Everybody knows we wanted to go defense this year," Smith said. "That's no secret that we wanted to go defense. We felt going into the draft that there were players in every bucket that we could execute in terms of value, the caliber of the player, where you have to take them.
"Sometimes, that doesn't align. Sometimes you want to stay away from pulling. If we had stayed at 46, for example, there's a real world we would have gone offense. So, this is one of those things that kind of aligned of what we were hoping for: Did we walk out with pressure players and potential starters at four spots on defense?"
Smith's answer to his own question was yes.
"They're all (in need of) development," he said. "Obviously the lower you go in the draft the more, probably, development pieces that there are. But yes, we feel comfortable with those four guys having a real chance to become starters for us."
Join us as we take a look at the 2025 NFL draft class for the Atlanta Falcons, presented by American Family Insurance.
Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker (11) sets up for a play against Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker (11) sacks TCU quarterback Max Duggan (15) during the second half of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker (11) works against Florida offensive lineman Austin Barber (58) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) reacts to making a sack during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) against Arkansas during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
UTEP quarterback JP Pickles (19) is sacked by Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) lines up for a play during an NCAA football game against Arkansas on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. Arkansas won 19-14. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher)
Photos of the Georgia Tech vs Notre Dame Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, October 19, 2024. (Photo by Taylor McLaughlin/Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (0) leaps up to try and make an interception near the sideline as Northern Illinois full back Brock Lampe (49) defends during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina)
Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (0) tries to rip the ball away from Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea (10) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina)
Scenes from the College Football National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. on Monday, January 20, 2025. (Photo by Taylor McLaughlin/Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Oklahoma defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (2) celebrates after intercepting a Texas pass in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Dallas, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Oklahoma defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (2) tackles UCF running back RJ Harvey (7) in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. warms up before an NCAA college football game against Texas at the Cotton Bowl, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Dallas. Texas won 34-3. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Oklahoma defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (2) tackles BYU running back Aidan Robbins (3) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Wisconsin offensive lineman Jack Nelson smiles on the bench during the an NCAA college football game against Illinois Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Wisconsin's Jack Nelson lines up during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia Southern Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Wisconsin's Jack Nelson lines up during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia Southern Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Wisconsin offensive lineman Jack Nelson (79) plays against Purdue during the second half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
