Although the Atlanta Falcons ended the 2025 season in disappointment, one of the surprising bright spots was their young defense. Expected to be one of the worst in the league, head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich helped this team jump from 31 sacks in 2024 to 57 in 2025, ranking second in the league behind only the Denver Broncos.

Furthermore, they put together impressive performances against some of the league’s high-powered offenses, including wins over the Buffalo Bills in week 6 and the Los Angeles Rams in week 17. 

However, it wasn’t enough to save Morris’ job, as he was fired shortly after the season ended. But the team still saw value in Ulbrich and decided to retain him as defensive coordinator even after hiring Kevin Stefanski as the team’s new head coach. 

Despite improving, this unit was far from perfect and still needs plenty of work to become a championship defense like the one we saw in the Super Bowl. It starts by getting some new players in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Defensive Players for the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL Draft

It won’t be easy for the Falcons to retool in this upcoming draft, since they traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams as a part of a package to get James Pearce Jr. in last year’s draft (who now faces five felony charges in an alleged domestic violence dispute).

The Dirty Birds will now have to find value in later rounds in the draft to improve this unit. Here are some of the prospects they should target. 

Zion Young:

By the time the 2026 NFL season starts, Pearce Jr. may be sitting in a jail cell, meaning the Falcons will have to quickly replace the 10.5 sacks his rookie season produced. Assuming several of the top prospects go in the first round and early in the second, Zion Young out of Missouri may be there at pick 48. 

Although he wasn’t the most productive edge rusher for Missouri last season, he has all the measurables you want in a solid defensive end. He’s not the most athletically gifted but has the power to win at the next level. 

Besides, who wouldn’t want a dog like this on their team?

Devin Moore:

Despite solid effort from Mike Hughes, Billy Bowman and Dee Alford, the only reliable cornerback the Falcons have is A.J. Terrell. They still need some young talent at that position, but Devin Moore out of Florida is a specimen who may not even fall past the first round if he has an impressive showing at the Combine. 

Standing at 6-foot-3, 200lb, Moore is a tall defensive back who has the speed to match his length. Although not the most polished player, he could become a potential star with the right coaching. He still has much to learn since this past season was his first as a full-time starter. 

Jacob Rodriguez:

Although the Texas Tech linebacker is a great player who had a phenomenal season this past year, this would be more of a character pick for the Falcons. Rodriguez would bring much needed leadership to this locker room. 

Not to mention, he was the most productive defensive player in college football last season, recording 11 tackles for loss, four interceptions and seven forced fumbles. If he brings that same nose for the ball to the NFL, he could be a defensive star. 

Bud Clark:

You can never have enough defensive backs in the NFL with all the shifty and talented skill positions players teams are fielding nowadays. Bud Clark out of TCU is an experienced player who has played as a safety and slot corner.

While players with his skillset may not be seen as valuable as other defenders, we see players that can play nickel and safety have a significant impact on some of the league’s best defenses. 

Akheem Mesidor:

Yes, Rueben Bain Jr. was the star edge rusher who jumped off the screen for the Miami Hurricanes throughout most of their run to the National Championship. However, Akheem Mesidor was almost as impactful. The sixth-year senior had a career year with the Hurricanes in 2025 and has a chance to immediately produce if the Falcons draft him. Though he may be an older rookie, he’ll be a great pick up for a team who’s looking to replicate the pass rush success they had last season.

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