Atlanta needs pass rushing help. Could they find a major addition at the Senior Bowl?
The 2025 Senior Bowl begins next week, and the Atlanta Falcons are expected to be in the market for a big-time pass-rusher.
Despite their late-season surge after the bye week, when the Falcons racked up 21 sacks across five games, they still managed to finish ranked 31st with 31 total sacks in 2024.
That simply isn’t good enough, and the Falcons cannot make the mistake of being complacent about their pass rush again. Much was made of the team’s decision to select quarterback Michael Penix over the much more pressing need of an edge-rusher last April. While Penix appears to have a bright future ahead of him at the most critical position on the field, it’s hard not to lament what also could have been watching Pro Bowler Jared Verse shine as a rookie with the Los Angeles Rams. Verse’s 77 pressures (according to PFF) this past year nearly matched the combined total (83) of the Falcons’ top two players: Kaden Elliss and Arnold Ebiketie.
This year’s draft represents an opportunity for a “do-over” for the Falcons in the first round, and there is mounting pressure for them to nail this first-round pick.
The Senior Bowl’s slogan of “The Draft starts in Mobile” exists for a reason, and this upcoming week is an excellent opportunity for the Falcons to begin finding that difference-maker up front that they missed out on last year.
Here are five of the most intriguing potential Future Falcons.
Nic Scourton
After a 10-sack season at Purdue, Scourton (pronounced SCORE-ton) transferred to Texas A&M and produced a quieter five-sack season against SEC competition. He could benefit from a bounce-back week down in Mobile.
Despite his 6’4” 280-pound frame, Scourton mostly wins with finesse moves like a cross chop and inside spin move. That style of rushing fits much lighter pass-rushers, and thus, how much Scourton weighs next week will matter a decent amount. Should he still be on the heavier side, it’ll be vital for him to showcase that he can also win with power.
Scourton was considered one of the top pass-rushers this past summer and billed as a future Top 10 pick. That luster has seemingly worn off after a down 2024 season, but a big week in Mobile can resurrect some of that earlier buzz.
Shemar Stewart
Scourton’s A&M teammate might be a prospect on the rise if Stewart can make a name for himself in Mobile. What stands out about Stewart is the lack of production, as he has never recorded more than 1.5 sacks in any of the three seasons he was in College Station. Given his physical gifts, that lack of production raises questions.
Listed at 6’6” and 290 pounds, Stewart is a big, long behemoth of an edge-rusher who profiles similarly to past top picks like Travon Walker, Tyree Wilson, and Rashan Gary. That type of rusher typically rises up boards during the pre-draft process as NFL teams fall in love with the impressive tools and traits.
Measurables will also be important for Stewart next week, since a heavier weight will mean NFL teams might see him more as an interior defensive lineman rather than the edge rusher that he is more naturally suited to. A strong week of practice in one-on-ones will also help mitigate concerns about a lack of production.
Mike Green
The Marshall product may have some of the most buzz entering next week thanks to a dominant 2024 season where Green led the nation with 17 sacks. He dominated the lesser competition of the Sun Belt but also flashed production against both Power Five opponents, combining for three sacks against Virginia Tech and Ohio State.
Green is a speedy, bendy pass rusher who likes to utilize swim and spin moves to dip under blocks. His relentless motor also allowed him to finish quarterbacks who dared to try and escape the pocket.
However, the concerns surrounding him are how he will fare against higher-quality competition in Mobile. Over the past two years, Green posted below-average win rates in three of his four games against Power Five opponents. Green needs a strong week of practice to show that his production will translate to higher levels of competition. Measurables will also matter for Green.
While listed at 250 pounds, he was a verified 236 this past spring. Thanks to the recent success of players like Micah Parsons and Will McDonald, NFL teams are less biased against undersized edges nowadays, but Green would benefit from weighing closer to his listed weight.
Princely Umanmielen
Umanmielen (pronounced OO-man-me-ellen) transferred to Ole Miss after four years at Florida. Those years of experience paid off as he put together his most productive season with a career-high 10.5 sacks and 55 pressures in 2024.
He’s a bendy, speed rusher who possesses a solid foundation of understanding how to string pass-rush moves together, flashing a bull rush and inside spin move that he sets up with his speed rushes. But his pass-rush repertoire still remains somewhat limited, as he was far less effective rushing when he wasn’t in wider techniques that allowed him to use his speed rush as a primary move. His skinny frame at 6’4” and 255 pounds also limited his effectiveness against the run.
Next week will be important to show if Umanmielen can be more than just a speed rusher. How much he weighs also matters since it can influence whether NFL teams see if he has every-down potential or is limited to being a situational pass-rusher.
Walter Nolen
Umanmielen’s teammate at Ole Miss this past year, Nolen was another find for the Rebels in the transfer portal after spending his earlier years at Texas A&M. Nolen also benefited from the move, putting together a strong 6.5-sack season with 14 tackles for loss.
A disruptive presence on the interior, Nolen has an excellent blend of power and first-step quickness, making him a classic three-technique defensive tackle. The biggest knock on his game is that he’s more of a penetrator and doesn’t hold up as well against double teams at the point of attack.
Accurate measurements at Mobile will matter since he might be smaller than his listed size of 6’3” and 300 pounds. But otherwise, Nolen needs to hold serve at the Senior Bowl since he has a solid chance of being in the first-round mix come April. However, a strong practice week could make him among the first interior defensive linemen off the board.
These five aren’t the only intriguing names heading to Mobile next week. Which stand out as potential Falcons targets, and who else should be on the team’s radar?