Unlike in recent seasons, when hope was the answer to most questions about the defense during training camp, the Falcons have legitimate young defensive talent that can evolve into difference makers.
Anticipating what the Falcons’ defense could be entering a season has been largely a difficult conversation for the past decade. Besides a few years when optimism was understandable, most summers had everyone asking ten different questions with hope leading off each response.
Hope isn’t what a winning strategy is built on. Assembling a few steady veterans and a group of mid-round picks to generate consistent pressure doesn’t work. Giving high-round draft picks numerous opportunities when it’s clear they aren’t good enough to start doesn’t work.
That is something Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn learned the hard way. The same can be said for Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith. Raheem Morris learned it last season, knowing major changes had to be made defensively after finishing near the bottom in several categories. Fontenot can feel the pressure, which is why his full focus was on improving all three levels of the defense, even if it required being ultra-aggressive on draft day.
It’s understandable if fans remain pessimistic about the Falcons’ defense, given the years of disappointment. Unlike in previous seasons, the front office and coaching staff are strategically constructing a long-term vision. The defense is far younger compared to last year’s aging group. There is a credible plan to build a strong, dynamic defensive infrastructure. That comes with five players, outside of the 2025 first-round picks, who can elevate the Falcons with their development.
Ruke Orhorhoro
A strong case can be made that the defensive player who needs to make the most strides on the roster this season is Orhorhoro. Between Grady Jarrett’s departure and the organization not making any notable signings on the interior line, it’s evident Orhorhoro will be counted on as a full-time starter. Inserting him into that role can be risky for a defensive tackle who entered the league as a raw talent and only played 147 snaps last season.
The Falcons didn’t trade up for him in the second round to wait two years for him to be ready to start. They believe in his overall talent, along with the glimpses he showed against the Buccaneers and Giants, to pair him alongside David Onyemata. Orhorhoro had flashes where his get-off and strong hand usage gave opposing guards problems. The agility to beat offensive linemen on outside zone-schemed runs was also impressive, particularly in the massive Thursday night win over the Buccaneers.
Some of his biggest attributes are reminiscent of what made Jarrett a special player. It’s not a matter of him needing to replace an all-time franchise great. Orhorhoro must focus on enhancing his technical skills and being able to handle double teams.
The franchise is counting on him to be one of the driving forces behind a revamped defensive line filled with young talent. A strong season from him will likely benefit other players, given the demands of his role.
Zach Harrison
There is normally a set plan for a young defensive lineman. It helps their development to build their skill set and learn the nuances of the pro game. That hasn’t been the case for Harrison after transitioning from being a strongside edge defender in 2023 to primarily a situational defensive tackle in 2024. Despite consistently showing promise, Harrison only played more than 20 snaps in three games last season.
The coaching staff was oddly hesitant to give Harrison more opportunities. They chose to rely on veterans with eight defensive linemen aged 28 years or older on the roster. Many of those players aren’t on the current roster, which creates greater opportunity for the versatile former Buckeye.
Harrison knows how to use his long arms to gain leverage and overpower opposing offensive linemen at the point of attack. It’s now a question of where he could be most effective at doing it.
He was getting comfortable on the edge at the end of his rookie year under Smith, before Morris requested he put on weight to shift inside a few months into his tenure. Utilizing him as an edge defender in base and an interior pass rusher in nickel could bring the best out of a third-year player who has a knack for getting into the backfield.
Xavier Watts
Although the Falcons produced 18 turnovers last season, there were numerous occasions in big games where the defense never looked capable of making a game-changing play. Most of the turnovers they caused came from capitalizing on quarterbacks who weren’t starting-caliber, or an unforced error that ended up falling graciously into their hands. One of the biggest off-season priorities was to add a playmaker in the secondary.
Drafting a first-team All-American and Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner as the nation’s top defender is one way to address the issue. Watts possesses the instincts and confidence that every coach wants from a safety. Watts can thrive as a split-safety or lining up closer to the line of scrimmage. The way he embraces the physicality of the position makes the eventual pairing of him and Jessie Bates even more enticing.
As is the case with most rookie defensive backs drafted outside the first round, they will need time to acclimate to the pros. Expectations need to be measured for the highly decorated safety. It usually is a gradual process for rookies to develop, particularly in a secondary filled with veterans.
Although the unit desperately needs more speed and ferocity on the back end, Jordan Fuller will likely start, given his connection to Morris from Los Angeles. That won’t prevent Watts from making his mark at some point in 2025 in his ascent toward being a starter in 2026.
Billy Bowman Jr.
Similar to Watts, Bowman Jr.’s impact appears likely to be more felt in 2026 than this upcoming season. That doesn’t change the anticipation for a potential prolific player solidifying the secondary in the long haul. The former Sooner prides himself on being an alpha who wants to set the tone in a variety of ways. His versatility must be greatly valued in a secondary that lacks defensive backs who can thrive in multiple areas.
The way Bowman Jr. played in the slot, as a deep safety, and sub-package linebacker at Oklahoma, could allow Jeff Ulbrich and Jerry Gray to be more creative with coverage alignments and disguises. Based on early training camp drills, the coaching staff appears focused on his development as a cornerback. Converting his ball-hawking abilities and fluidity in coverage to covering slot receivers should be the initial goal to improve the secondary.
Opposing quarterbacks consistently targeted Dee Alford last season to great success. No matter the coverage, he often appeared a step behind. It’s no secret that there were schematic and communication issues under former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake. Players still need to be held accountable for their share of the poor performances, which is one of the reasons why Bowman Jr. was drafted.
The awareness, speed, and physicality are the primary reasons he can start sooner rather than later. Gray’s vision of ‘fire and ice’ will be pivotal in the Falcons’ defensive reconstruction plan coming to fruition.
Clark Phillips
This feels like a make-or-break year for Phillips to become a dependable contributor in Atlanta. As impressive as his high points are, something hasn’t clicked for the coaching staff to trust him. The Falcoholic’s finest Kevin Knight noted he was working with the third unit at the start of training camp. While it was to be expected that the former fourth-round pick wouldn’t start with the first unit, due to not being a fit to play inside, it’s a bit concerning that he would be running with them.
Being undersized can cause Phillips to get disconnected on routes and miss tackles in the open field. There were moments he couldn’t maintain his positioning against bigger receivers on vertical routes against the Saints and Vikings. For all the physical limitations, Phillips does possess good instincts. His fluidity and route recognition in coverage can make a difference, as shown against the Panthers on what should have been a pick-six.
It will be interesting to see how his skill set meshes with Ulbrich’s coverage usage. The Jets played man coverage more than any team last season, but they had the personnel to do it with two physical, lengthy cornerbacks in Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed. Ulbrich will make adjustments with Morris to play more zone, albeit potentially using more pattern-match coverages than the traditional drop style.
That could suit Phillips’ game more with his ability to anticipate routes. He’ll need to do everything possible to become a more well-rounded player to challenge Mike Hughes for snaps on the left side.