Jan. 11, 2026, 6:04 a.m. ET

Considering the massive changes that the Atlanta Falcons have undergone since the 2025 season ended, it’s fair to question whether or not they made the right decision by trading away their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for edge rusher James Pearce Jr.

While the move was highly controversial at the time, and still is to some degree, Pearce proved worthy of the gamble with an incredible rookie campaign in Atlanta. And make no mistake, the Falcons greatly needed a pass rusher going into the 2025 season.

Atlanta went from finishing 31st in the NFL with 31 sacks last season to setting a new franchise record with 57 sacks in 2025, the second-most in the league this season. Pearce led all rookies with 10.5 sacks, which is the first time a Falcons player recorded double-digit sacks since Vic Beasley’s 15.5-sack season in 2016.

So, where does Pearce rank among the top rookies in the 2025 NFL draft class? NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice put Pearce at No. 25 on his list of the league’s top 25 rookies.

“Consequently, with the final spot on this list, it felt necessary to spotlight one of the Falcons’ two edges,” wrote Filice. “Walker’s definitely the more complete player, but his production was limited by injuries in Year 1. And in the spirit of everything you just read, Pearce feels like the proper pick. Yes, he’s kind of a one-trick pony, but what a trick it is! In the final nine weeks of the season, Pearce racked up 10 sacks. Only two players had more sacks in that span: five-time Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter (11) and freshly minted sack king Myles Garrett (13).”

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Through Weeks 1- 9, Pearce only totaled 0.5 sacks and 14 QB hurries. However, the rookie really shined over the back half of the season. From there, Pearce finally adjusted to NFL life and recorded his final 10 sacks and 17 QB hurries.

Only one other pure pass rusher was mentioned on NFL.com’s rankings. Giants rookie Abdul Carter came in at No. 6 on the list. While Carter recorded considerably less sacks with five, he had quite a few more QB hurries than Pearce with 43. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Carter plays in a much bigger NFL market.

Aside from Pearce, Falcons third-round pick Xavier Watts made the list. The former Notre Dame safety led all rookies with five interceptions, including two in his first four games. He also added two more interceptions against potential NFL MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford in a Week 17 win over the Rams.

Watts landed a more respectable spot on NFL.com’s rookie’s rankings, coming in at No. 12 overall.

“After intercepting 13 passes in his final two seasons as a collegian, Watts snagged five picks in Year 1 as a professional, tying for second in the league,” wrote Filice. “With 11 passes defensed (tied for first among rookies) and 92 tackles (fifth), the Falcons rookie basically raced teammate/playmaker extraordinaire Jessie Bates III to the football.”

The Falcons hired Matt Ryan as their new president of football on Saturday, and the team has begun conducting interviews for its head coach and general manager vacancies.

-Follow along with the team’s head coach and GM search with our Falcons interview tracker!