The Atlanta Falcons are going through a defensive transition after hiring a new defensive coordinator, defensive line coach and passing game coordinator following the 2024 season. Head coach Raheem Morris has reunited with Jeff Ulbrich to help this defense get back on track in 2025.
The team ranked 23rd in both points and yards allowed per game last season, plus Atlanta’s defense finished 31st in the NFL with just 31 sacks. While the pass rush will be a major focus this offseason, there’s some serious work to be done in the secondary as well.
Cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Jessie Bates III will return next season, but the rest of the unit could look very different. Mike Hughes, Dee Alford, Justin Simmons and Richie Grant will be free agents this offseason.
Since the team has limited salary cap funds, the draft may be its best option to address the secondary. A new seven-round mock draft from Pro Football Network has the Falcons landing a stud cornerback in the first round before addressing a few other needs:
Round 1, pick No. 15: CB Will Johnson – Michigan
There’s nothing in coverage that Will Johnson can’t do. He’s shown everything he needs to hear his name called early on that fourth Thursday in April despite missing a good chunk of the season. Johnson has prototypical size, length, and reactive athleticism. If it weren’t for Hunter, we’d discuss Johnson’s ball skills among the best we’ve seen in recent times.
He consistently shows he can turn, find the ball, locate it in the air, and elevate to its highest point while finishing the catch to the turf. Johnson is a better true man coverage cornerback than Hunter, and he’s certainly no slouch playing with zone eyes, either. — Dalton Miller, PFN
If the Falcons could land someone of Johnson’s caliber without trading up, it would be a home-run pick for general manager Terry Fontenot. Johnson could start opposite Terrell in Week 1 and give the team three potentially dominant pieces to build around in the secondary.
But what about the pass rush? Atlanta is set to lose both Matthew Judon and Lorenzo Carter in free agency. In the second round of PFN’s mock, Dalton Miller has the team selecting Ole Miss edge rusher Princely Umanmielen with pick No. 46:
Round 2, pick No. 46: EDGE Princely Umanmielen – Ole Miss
There have been multiple times throughout the past three years where one thought, “This is the game that proves Princely Umanmielen has put it all together,” only for him to disappear for a chunk of the rest of the campaign. With natural bend, impressive density, desirable length, adequate burst, and flashes of technical brilliance, Umanmielen resembles a stronger version of Tennessee’s Pearce.
Unfortunately, his flashes of dominance come few and far between. Umanmielen turned it on in the waning hours of his collegiate career, but it wasn’t enough to feel confident that he’ll live up to his ever-present hype. – Dalton Miller, PFN
Umanmielen recorded 11 sacks, 28 hurries and a Pro Football Focus grade of 91.0 last season. While he has a ton of upside, Umanmielen needs to become more consistent to maximize his potential. Atlanta also addresses the center position in the fourth round by taking Georgia’s Jared Wilson.
Check out the rest of the Falcons’ projected picks in PFN’s mock draft below:
| Pick | Position | Player | School |
| 116 | OC | Jared Wilson | Georgia |
| 201 | WR | Pat Bryant | Illinois |
| 244 | CB | Fentrell Cypress | FSU |
The Falcons are set to introduce Ulbrich as defensive coordinator on Monday at 10:30 a.m. ET. Check out our latest news recap summing up the last week.