For the first time this offseason, the hype around Atlanta’s rookie class will meet live competition.
Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed the Falcons will play their 2025 draft picks in tomorrow’s preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, including first-rounders Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., as well as Xavier Watts, Billy Bowman Jr., and Jack Nelson.
It marks a stark shift from last year’s approach, where Morris kept key players out of preseason action entirely or limited them to a few scripted series. This time, rookies will take center stage, even those recovering from recent injuries.
Walker, the No. 15 pick, returned to full participation this week after being eased back from a hamstring injury. Watts, a fellow rookie expected to contribute early, is also trending in the right direction. According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, Walker took reps with the second-team defense and even logged a series with the starters, while Watts rotated in with the twos.
“Walker will be full today,” Morris said during yesterday’s media availability. “With hamstrings, it’s the back-to-back days that get you. Watts is a little further along, but he’ll be out there too.”
Several starters, including quarterback Michael Penix Jr., won’t suit up. Morris explained that those players received what he called “high-level work” during a simulated scrimmage earlier in the week: everything short of live contact. “You’re planning on not going because of what you’re going to do today,” he said. “You’re planning on giving them the high-level work, the looks.”
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So while the vets rest, the spotlight shifts to the rookies, and few will draw more attention than James Pearce Jr.
Pearce, Atlanta’s second first-rounder, will also make his debut tomorrow, with all eyes on him after an eventful training camp. The rookie edge rusher has flashed top-end explosiveness but has also been involved in multiple scuffles during practice. Head coach Raheem Morris addressed those concerns directly, pointing to Pearce’s clean record at Tennessee and praising how he responded when coached through tense moments.
Now he, along with the rest of the Falcons’ draft class, gets the chance to shift the conversation from practice field scraps to game-day production. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. While Morris didn’t commit to a specific snap count, he said each rookie would get a few series to get acclimated to NFL speed.
With the regular season approaching and expectations rising in Atlanta, tomorrow offers an early look at how the Falcons’ youngest pieces might fit into the bigger picture.
