FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. have been pushed individually to Charlotte simply hours after the 2025 NFL draft.
The North Carolina natives did not know one another regardless of their related roots. They met for the primary time proper earlier than they boarded the Atlanta Falcons group aircraft, en path to the town the place they might be teammates. Two gamers from the identical place who play the identical place (edge rusher) have been each drafted by the identical group within the first spherical — Walker at 15, Pearce at 26 — a rarity within the NFL.
By the point that flight descended into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport, a friendship had been solid.
“Knew this was residence for us,” Pearce stated. “He obtained drafted a couple of spots forward of me within the draft, however ever since we loaded up the jet and landed in Atlanta, that is been my man.”
The Falcons are hoping that quick journey is the opening scene to a phenomenal relationship between gamers who could possibly be cornerstones of their protection for a few years. And up to now, that has begun taking form in very actual methods.
Pearce is tied for the group lead — and NFL lead for rookies — with six sacks whereas Walker has 5. Up to now 35 seasons, the Falcons have had solely three rookies get to 5 sacks: Walker and Pearce this season and Takkarist McKinley in 2017. One must go all the best way again to 1988 for the final time the Falcons had a pair of rookies with 5 or extra sacks in a single season. The 2 will attempt to additional reinforce their rookie resumes Thursday evening in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime) and quarterback Baker Mayfield, who’s been sacked 24 instances.
The 2 have nicknamed themselves “Thunder and Lightning,” however neither is bound who’s which.
“So long as we’re placing one thing, we ought to be good,” Walker stated.
The rookie duo has helped resurrect the franchise’s pass-rush fortunes. Attending to the quarterback has been the Falcons’ largest deficiency for practically a decade. Coming into this season, the Falcons had 30 fewer sacks than any group within the NFL relationship to 2019. This season? Atlanta is third within the league with 43.
The advance has not led to victories, a minimum of not but. The Falcons are 4-9 and looking at an eighth straight season and not using a successful document or making the playoffs. However the group believes it has fastened its woes in arguably an important side of protection for the foreseeable future.
“I like each of these guys,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris stated. “I do not ever wish to name these grown males my youngsters, however I like these guys like my kids. These guys are superior. They’re rising, they’re studying collectively. They’re giving us every thing they’ve.”
THE FALCONS HAD the fifteenth choose within the draft final April and would have been completely comfortable taking Pearce, a 6-foot-5 speedster out of Tennessee who ran a 4.47 40-yard sprint on the mix. Morris and common supervisor Terry Fontenot have stated as a lot in interviews since then. Morris met with Pearce and his household in North Carolina the week of the draft.
Atlanta was not scared off by among the crimson flags different groups had marked down for Pearce, ones that saved him off their draft boards fully. There have been whispers about maturity and perspective points.
JAMES PEARCE JR AND JALON WALKER
SACK FUMBLE AND RECOVERY
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— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 9, 2025
“We have been lucky that we had some actual inside info relating to his character,” Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich stated. “We had some individuals that actually had boots on the bottom there on the college, and due to that, we felt with nice confidence that we have been getting the appropriate individual, not simply the appropriate soccer participant.”
Then, one thing sudden occurred. The Falcons’ flip got here up and Walker was nonetheless out there. The group preferred him, as effectively. Some pundits felt he can be a top-10 choose.
He was the most effective defenders within the nation, the poised son of a coach with the flexibility to play each off-the-ball linebacker and on the sting. Walker additionally performed at Georgia, proper within the Falcons’ yard. They’d the chance to see fairly a little bit of Walker and cherished all they noticed.
Atlanta determined to maintain a Bulldogs star residence, taking Walker with the fifteenth choose. However getting Walker did not reduce the Falcons’ need so as to add Pearce, in any respect. Virtually instantly, Fontenot obtained on the telephone, making an attempt to make a commerce to get again into the primary spherical.
It took 11 extra picks — and a hefty value — however they obtained their man. The Falcons despatched a second-round choose and a seventh-round choose in 2025, in addition to a 2026 first-round choose, to the Los Angeles Rams to amass the No. 26 general choose in 2024, in addition to a third-round choose. With that twenty sixth choose, Atlanta chosen Pearce.
When Morris, who gained a Tremendous Bowl as defensive coordinator with the Rams, was requested final season about his philosophy on cross rushers, he acknowledged: “You actually need two.” In a single evening, the Falcons obtained simply that. The notion, although, was that an excessive amount of was given up — subsequent 12 months’s first-rounder, which on the time is No. 9 — to do it.
“It is onerous to get two first-round picks, after which while you do, generally you have to give them one thing that you simply essentially do not wish to,” Morris stated. “However should you see actual good worth in it and one thing that is going to alter you shifting ahead, I believe you’re taking a chance, and we did it.”
Pearce whipped off the sting and got here near getting his fingers on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. throughout a apply in coaching camp in August. Falcons left guard Matthew Bergeron took umbrage with Pearce’s method and obtained in his face.
The very subsequent play, virtually the identical factor occurred. That point, it was proper sort out Kaleb McGary pulling off his helmet and screaming in Pearce’s face. A scuffle broke out between the offense and protection, with Pearce on the middle of it. Edge rusher Leonard Floyd ran over to have Pearce’s again.
The skirmishes have been an early instance of Pearce’s no-nonsense nature. He had an perspective to him — an edge, Falcons coaches stated — that would get beneath the pores and skin of others. On this case, it was teammates.
That was a part of Pearce’s studying curve, in response to Morris.
“It was a little bit bit extra like, ‘How do I truly apply?’ That is the place all of the fights got here in,” Morris stated. “After which, how do you apply as onerous as we’re asking you to apply whereas with the ability to keep the professionalism that is essential to go on the market, to not piss off all of your teammates?”
Floyd, a 10-year veteran, has performed a giant half in mentoring Pearce. The 2 turned shut straight away, and Floyd was greater than prepared to take the younger participant beneath his wing.
“It’s been nice to see him develop as a professional,” Floyd stated. “There’s simply his persona, who he’s. It’s at all times good to have a man who’s a little bit edgy on protection and JP, he is that man for us.
“He is the edgy man who will get into arguments and talks a little bit further after the whistle, which is soccer. That is one of many biggest issues about soccer. … Simply from enjoying the sport, man, you want a man who’s a little bit loopy on the defensive aspect, who will get all people thrown off.”
Floyd stated Walker and Pearce have principally the identical mentality, however with completely different outward approaches.
“One is extra, he’ll present you every thing — that is JP,” Floyd stated. “[Walker], he is extra tucked in. He is on the identical factor JP is on. They obtained the identical mindset. They wish to win, they usually wish to get rushes and sacks.”
The most important factor Walker has needed to be taught, Morris stated, has been promoting completely different seems to an offense. Walker drops again into protection greater than Pearce, although Pearce has been profitable at instances doing that, as effectively. Walker performed inside linebacker extra at Georgia and even some defensive again.
“It was kind of like studying the calls, his stops, his actions, when he is dropping, what a few of these issues appear like,” Morris stated. “The demeanor of not with the ability to inform a D-line while you’re dropping, while you’re speeding. That rush demeanor that you simply obtained to have, that is essential to have.”
WALKER SACKED NEW England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in Week 9, forcing a fumble. Pearce was there to get better it. The very subsequent week, Pearce obtained a strip sack on Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, and Walker recovered it.
It was a sign to the remainder of the league that Walker and Pearce have the potential to be a potent one-two punch for years to come back. After a lingering groin harm from coaching camp healed, Walker hit his stride. Pearce had been getting pressures early within the season, however now has discovered a solution to get residence. Pearce had sacks in 5 straight video games from Week 10 to Week 14.
Pearce is first amongst rookies (minimal 175 pass-rush snaps) in strain charge (14.7%) and Walker is third (11%). Walker is first amongst rookies in sack charge (2.7%) and Pearce (2.4%) is second. If Walker will get yet one more sack, they might be simply the fifth rookie tandem to realize six or extra sacks every in a single season in NFL historical past.
“It’s totally distinctive as a result of I’ve stated this earlier than: Cross rush is artwork,” Ulbrich stated. “And it takes a lot time and to essentially discover out who you’re as a rusher on this league and for them to have the success they’ve had so early, it is thrilling as a result of they’re simply scratching the floor.”
That relationship that began on a aircraft in April has solely grown. The 2 feed off one another and are aggressive with each other.
“I really feel like we’re two appropriate individuals,” Walker stated. “Folks would possibly see us as polar opposites, however me and James actually get alongside lots and I simply respect him, working with him, the connection that we have constructed, the connection that we’re nonetheless constructing, simply having that honesty and that 100% in our relationship.”
Added Pearce: “Soccer, naturally, is only a aggressive recreation and simply particularly us, we at all times need the most effective out of one another. He need the most effective out of me, whether or not if I am slacking or he wish to do one thing higher, we at all times on one another about little issues. Minute issues.”
Walker and Pearce even have an settlement for after the season. The 2 may have dinner collectively and whoever wins the NFL Defensive Rookie of the 12 months award should convey the trophy to the desk. Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger is the odds-on favourite in the intervening time, however Walker and Pearce are shut.
No group within the league has two rookies who’ve made the form of influence as a duo that Walker and Pearce have. The Falcons have 12.5 sacks — Billy Bowman Jr. has 1.5 — from rookies in 2025, which is six greater than the next-closest group.
The most effective half is the teaching employees believes the 2 will solely get higher from right here.
“Actually to have a brother you can develop up with, not wish to disappoint and do the appropriate factor for us,” Morris stated. “So, that is all been cool for us to look at these guys get. They’re extraordinarily tight they usually assist one another in excellent methods.”
