Our staff roundtable weighs in on expectations for Walker in year one, including the all-important sack prediction.
Jalon Walker is a player the Atlanta Falcons believe in, and they’re hardly alone. Fans are hopeful, analysts are intrigued, and teammates think he’s going to be a star. In that constellation of opinion, of course, are questions about his true upside as a pass rusher and where he’ll play in the NFL.
We’re thinking about all of that, but mostly we’re thinking about year one impact and role. We revived the roundtable to see what the staff thinks about his likely rookie impact, where he might play, and of course what his projected sack total might be. We welcome you to add your two cents in the comments.
Impactful and intentional
How many sacks? 5.5
Whoever drafted Jalon Walker needed a robust plan in place for him, and Atlanta checked that box in the early post-draft weeks. The team has been firm that he is an EDGE first and foremost. This declaration is significant when managing players like Walker, who teams can view and utilize in a multitude of ways.
It’s easy to get enamored with his ceiling, but Walker needs to prove that he can be good in at least one role before being asked to play two or three. This doesn’t mean we won’t see Atlanta take advantage of the player’s skill set with unique pass rush packages, but we shouldn’t expect the rookie to stray far from his EDGE responsibilities. The learning curve for EDGE is steep, but Walker is in an advantageous situation, one where he’ll be given plenty of reps and opportunities due to the lack of talent in the room with him. Walker is unlikely to be a sack machine out of the gate, but he has a good shot at being a pressure generator that helps others close the deal. —Tre’Shon Diaz
A versatile chess piece in 2025
How many sacks? 5
This sack total will likely disappoint fans eager for the Falcons pass rush to take a major step forward thanks to rookie pass rushers, but I think James Pearce will be more productive from that standpoint. What I expect from Walker is more varied but no less valuable.
The Falcons will primarily utilize Walker off the edge, but his experience playing off the ball in college was fairly rich, and it opens up some intriguing avenues for him the NFL. I expect Walker to be a significant piece of the team’s EDGE rotation most of the time, but on third downs and in clear passing situations, putting him next to Kaden Elliss at linebacker with James Pearce, Leonard Floyd, and Arnold Ebiketie outside has the potential to give teams fits. Walker’s pass rushing upside is a lot higher than his rookie numbers will indicate, but I expect flashes of the ability and some game-wrecking plays from him right away, with more to come in 2026 and beyond. —Dave Choate
Instant Impact
How many sacks? 6
The Falcons’ war room didn’t erupt in glee after the Colts took Tyler Warren with the 14th overall pick — indicating that Walker would be there for the taking at 15 — without the expectation that the linebacker out of the University of Georgia wouldn’t be an impact player both in the short term and in the long term outlook of the franchise.
I sort of liken Walker to the queen on the chessboard in that he can come at your from all different sides, and it was this versatility that really helped power his successful collegiate career. The team made the announcement shortly after the pick that they view Walker as an EDGE, which makes sense given how premium that position on the football field is, but I expect Jeff Ulbrich to utilize him all around the front seven, in a variety of roles throughout the season. Atlanta needs to win now, and they took Walker with the idea that he will make an instant impact on this team right out of the gate. —Adnan Ikic
Walker’s role, and impact, will grow
How many sacks? 5
It’s no secret that I was lower on Jalon Walker than consensus, having him as more of a late-first grade instead of a top-10 prospect. The reason for that is because his best fit in the NFL is likely as a versatile hybrid edge/off-ball linebacker, and I’m not sure how quickly he’ll be able to adapt to that at the NFL level. Atlanta has made it clear he’ll start his career as an edge rusher, but what exactly does that mean? I can’t see Walker being a full-time EDGE at his size, but he needs to be more than just a designated pass rusher (DPR).
That’s why I think his role, and impact, will grow over the course of the 2025 season. He’ll start out as a DPR who mixes in some off-ball duties as a strongside (SAM) linebacker and QB spy in certain matchups. Walker’s snap count to start the season will probably be disappointing to fans. But as the year goes on, I’d expect Walker’s snap count to rise as he gets more comfortable with off-ball SAM duties. By the end of the season, I’d expect Walker to be a full-time starter who splits snaps between the edge and as an overhang SAM defender depending on down and distance. He’ll be moved around to maximize his value and to put him in the best position to make plays as both as pass rusher and run defender. That might lead to a bit of a slow start from a stats perspective, but hopefully he’ll be finding his footing as a multifaceted impact defender by the time December rolls around. —Kevin Knight