The Atlanta Falcons made a big move in the 2025 NFL Draft, trading up for a pass rusher to bookend their earlier selection at the position. The Rams packaged two 2025 picks in exchange for three picks from the Falcons, with one of those picks being in 2026.
Now that the pieces of that trade are all in place, it’s time to take a closer look and reevaluate the move.
Rams receive: 2025 second-round pick (46 overall), 2025 seventh-round pick (242 overall), and 2026 first-round pickFalcons receive: 2025 first-round pick (26 overall) and 2025 third-round pick (101 overall)
The Falcons took their second pass rusher of the 2025 first round. After selecting Jalon Walker with their initial pick, Atlanta added James Pearce Jr. with pick 26.
The 101st pick didn’t get used by the Falcons, though. They moved it as part of a package to trade up to pick 96 and select Xavier Watts, the safety from Notre Dame.
In 2025, the Rams used their newly acquired second-round pick to select Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson. He played in 14 games catching three touchdown passes as a reserve.
The 242nd pick was initially the Rams’, but they had traded it to Atlanta in 2023 in part of the Van Jefferson trade. It came back to L.A. in the 2025 deal, and the Rams selected WR Konata Mumpfield. He had 10 catches and a touchdown in 17 games.
With the 2026 first-round selection, the Rams picked quarterback Ty Simpson at pick No. 13.
James Pearce had a good season on the field for the Falcons, notching 10.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery, and 16 QB hits in his rookie year and garnering a Defensive Rookie of the Year nomination. He played in all 17 games, starting three.
After the season, Pearce made headlines off-the-field in the worst possible way. He was arrested on very serious charges stemming from an incident where he is alleged to have rammed his vehicle into his ex-girlfriend’s car as she attempted to flee to the police station. He was eventually arrested after attempting to evade police. He is not with the team during their offseason program, and his case has been resolved with a plea deal that involves Pearce completing a diversion program. It’s almost a certainty he will face a suspension. The league’s mandatory minimum suspension for violence against women is six games.
The Falcons sent a 2026 fifth-round pick and the 101st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to Philadelphia in order to select Watts. The future fifth-rounder was a small price to pay to grab such an important player.
Watts started all 17 games for Atlanta, compiling 96 tackles, 11 passes defended, five interceptions, and a fumble recovery. All in all, a great rookie season.
Pearce’s off-the-field problems are going to swing this trade toward the Rams, but I still think the Falcons are ahead so far. If the Falcons had selected a different person, it could be even more lopsided toward Atlanta.
Xavier Watts was a game-changing safety in 2025 and will continue to make a big impact moving forward. He’s been better than the combined impact of the players the Rams selected to this point. Obviously a first-rounder can make a big impact moving forward, but Watts is off to a great start.