FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — “I’m sitting in a bar in Madison right now.”

Those were some of the first words offensive tackle Jack Nelson said to Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris when the team called to draft the University of Wisconsin product Saturday evening with the No. 219 overall pick in the seventh round.

Nelson spent the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft at Jay’s Bar in his college town with family, friends and other Badger linemen. When his phone rang and displayed the Atlanta area code, he showed a friend, who proceeded to jump up and hush the surrounding crowd. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for.

“It was a big relief to get that call and find out it was Atlanta,” Nelson said. “I was fired up. My girlfriend was fired up. She loved the color, she said. So, everything’s good.”

Nelson became the Falcons’ fifth and final draftee, their first on the offensive side of the ball.

The Falcons’ starting line is practically set with left tackle Jake Matthews, left guard Matthew Bergeron, center Ryan Neuzil (pending his official signing), right guard Chris Lindstrom and right tackle Kaleb McGary.

The tackles, however, have both cracked 30 years of age. Matthews is 33, entering his 12th season; he’s signed through the 2028 season. McGary, meanwhile, is 30 on the dot and coming up on his seventh season; he’ll be a free agent next year.

Neither have an heir apparent.

“Excited about Jack Nelson,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. “We wanted to add some youth to the offensive line room. Four-year starter at Wisconsin. Big man. All the intangibles. He’s played all over that line.”

He has, at both the guard and tackle positions. Left and right side, too.

Nelson boasts the most experience at left tackle, having started for the Badgers there from 2022-24. He feels most comfortable, though, at right tackle.

“I’d say regardless of whatever kind of offense or OC we’ve got, I’m going to be an explosive, twitchy and aggressive player,” Nelson said. “I think I play with kind of a recklessness that translates to a physical type of play when I connect and really get into the groove.”