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Atlanta Falcons’ edge defender Jalon Walker arrives for the NFL match between Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on November 9, 2025. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP) (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)
In ESPN’s 2025 redraft following the 2025 season, they predict the Baltimore Ravens would have drafted a pass rusher instead of a safety.
During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens selected Safety Malachi Starks in the first round. Starks was selected as the 27th overall pick coming out of the University of Georgia.
Starks was a three-year starter who had 197 tackles, 23 passes defended and six interceptions at Georgia.
In the redraft, ESPN has the Ravens selecting edge rusher Jalon Walker who also came out of the University of Georgia.
Walker would be selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2025 NFL draft.
Jalon Walker’s 2025 Season
Jalon Walker recorded 5.5 sacks playing for the Atlanta Falcons in 2025. Walker forced 2 fumbles and recorded 36 total tackles.
If you were paying attention to the Ravens’ 2025 season, the Ravens struggled getting to the quarterback. They ranked 28th in pass-rush win rate.
Under defensive coordinator Zach Orr, the Ravens ranked 24th in total defense during the 2025 season. Baltimore was the 10th ranked defense against the run. They were the 30th ranked defense against the pass.
Walker, considering the season he had, would have been helpful if the Ravens could have grabbed him.
“Walker is a hybrid front-seven defender who lines up at inside linebacker and edge.” Steve Muench wrote in his pre-draft analysis. “He gets off of the ball quickly and dips under blocks as a speed rusher off the edge. He has active hands, and he wins with inside moves. Walker has short arms for an edge, but he tends to get his hands inside and get blockers’ hands off of him. He tracks quarterbacks and closes well, adding on late as a pass rusher. Walker is a downhill run defender at inside linebacker, and he can stack tight ends and make plays in pursuit at edge.”
ESPN ranked Walker number 2 as a player at his position and ranked number 4 overall in the 2025 NFL draft.
Nnamdi Madubuike Injury Affected Ravens Pass Rush
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike was injured for most of the 2025 season with a neck injury.
Madubuike was placed on injured reserve before the Ravens’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Why does Madubuike’s injury matter?
According to a Ravens Wire article, Madubuike’s 21.5 sacks since the start of the 2023 season were the most by an NFL defensive tackle over that span before his injury.
“Madubuike, 27, had played in 55 straight games before injuring his neck in a 41-17 win over the Cleveland Browns on September 14.” Glenn Erby wrote in the article. “Madubuike led the Ravens and all NFL defensive tackles with 13 sacks in 2023 and was off to a strong start with two sacks in the Ravens’ first two games. The Ravens signed Madubuike to a four-year, reported $98 million contract extension before the 2024 season.”
Madubuike’s injury clearly affected the Baltimore Ravens’ pass rush. He was dearly missed after the Ravens could not get after quarterbacks in 2025.
There’s no doubt that Jalon Walker would have had an impact with the Ravens even with Madubuike’s injury.
Would the outcome of the 2025 season for the Ravens have been different? We don’t know. We do know that Jalon Walker has had an impact with the Atlanta Falcons.
DeonTay Smith is a journalist who covers the NFL for Heavy.com with a focus on the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and the Baltimore Ravens. A graduate from Methodist University, Smith also covers local news for the Panama City News Herald and hosts his own YouTube podcast. More about DeonTay Smith
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