Falcons first-round picks turning veteran heads at training camp

Training camp is barely underway, but two rookies are already making life difficult for one of Atlanta’s most experienced veterans.

Jake Matthews, now entering his 11th season with the Falcons, has lined up against plenty of elite edge rushers. So his praise of rookies holds weight, and his early impressions of first-round picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. were full of confidence.

“They’ve got a lot of talent,” Matthews said, via Sports Illustrated's Arkesh Ray. “You can see why they were drafted where they were.”

Walker, drafted No. 15 overall out of Georgia, has the versatility to play inside or on the edge, though the Falcons plan to start him off primarily on the outside. Pearce Jr., taken 11 picks later at 26, following a trade with the Rams, brings high-end speed and a 19.6% pressure rate, earning second-best in college football over the past two seasons.

More than just raw tools, Matthews highlighted their competitive drive as a driving reason for optimism. Their presence has already ramped up the intensity in training camp, where Jeff Ulbrich’s defense is taking on a more physical, attacking identity in year one under head coach Raheem Morris.

“It’s a win/win thing,” Matthews said. “We get to work against guys that are really good and trying to take our heads off basically, and we’re trying to do the same thing to them. It’s only going to make us better.”

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That change in tone reflects a broader organizational reset. Atlanta overhauled its defensive staff and personnel after finishing near the bottom of the league in pressure rate and sacks last year. Veterans were moved out, prioritizing speed and versatility.

With Ulbrich calling plays, the Falcons are shifting from a bend-but-don’t-break approach to one that leans on youth, aggression, and front-end disruption. 

"I can't say enough good things about them, getting to know both of them. Just appreciate the talent they're bringing and the attitudes," Matthews said. “Man, they want to win really bad.”

With Walker and Pearce joining a group that includes Leonard Floyd and Arnold Ebiketie, the Falcons are suddenly deep and flexible on the edge, a far cry from recent seasons where pass rush was a glaring weakness.

The rookies still have to prove it on Sundays, but if they continue on their current trajectory, they could lay the foundation for a defensive identity that Atlanta has lacked for years.