Former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker earned his first NFL contract with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons will signed Walker to a four-year, $20.56 million fully guaranteed contract.
Walker is expected to have a $11.6 million signing bonus in his rookie contract. He’ll be part of a revamped Falcons defense.
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Walker’s selection by the Falcons marks the first time in Atlanta’s franchise history they selected a Georgia Bulldog in the first round. There are high hopes for Walker in Atlanta, with college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit even naming him as the best defender in the draft.
The Falcons selected both Walker and Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce in the first round in an attempt to improve their pass rush group from one of the worst to one of the best in the NFL. Both Walker and Pearce figure to earn a significant amount of snaps as rookies.
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Jalon Walker signs $20M contract with Atlanta Falcons