There wasn't a member of the Georgia defense drafted in the first round this year but don't expect that to be a trend. The twitchy 6-foot-5, 265-pound Williams is still growing into his body, but scouts are excited about his upside — and that is after he led the Bulldogs with 4.5 sacks a year ago.
Here's the pass rusher Falcons fans wish they'd drafted in the first round last Thursday. The Purdue transfer led the Big Ten in sacks (10) and produced 15 tackles for a loss as a sophomore. At 6-foot-4, 280 pounds, Scourton is taking his inside-outside versatility and nasty spin move to the SEC next season.
A Purdue transfer, Scourton is 6-4, 260 and rushes with the big-man twitch that makes it tough to keep him blocked. If you're looking for a breakout candidate in the SEC, this is your guy.
Atlanta took a high-quantity approach to their defensive line in the 2024 NFL Draft. In 2025, they could add a dynamic pass rusher like Penn State's Abdul Carter. Carter earned a 90.3 pass-rush grade as an off-ball linebacker, but he will move to the edge this season. Comparisons to Micah Parsons will be plentiful over the next year.
The Atlanta Falcons need to continue to upgrade their interior defensive line, and Deone Walker is the best pure nose tackle in the class. At 348 pounds, Walker recorded an incredible 12.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks. Productive nose tackles don't last very long in the draft, nor will Walker.
Behold, the Falcons' long-awaited premium investment in an edge rusher. Carter could follow Micah Parsons and Chop Robinson in becoming Penn State's next explosive first-round defender. He has the chance to go considerably higher than this if his move this year from linebacker to a full-time defensive end role is fruitful, but he's currently facing a misdemeanor assault charge in an alleged incident with a tow truck driver.
Carter was the more versatile and athletic of the Clemson LBs -- comparable athleticism to Trenton Simpson, just not as big. He offers much more position flexibility than Trotter Jr., and while not as big as former first-rounder Isaiah Simmons, he is used in a similar jack-of-all-trades role.
