The Falcoholic
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.
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
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
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