The Atlanta Falcons needed a difference-maker on defense. After years of coming up short, they may have finally struck gold with their first selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jalon Walker could be the exact fit the franchise needed, both on and off of the field.
The Steakhouse discussed what the Falcons were getting in their first-rounder.
"This kid has got it," Drew Butler said about Walker. "Jalon Walker, who had a top-10 draft grade, went into [pre-draft interviews] hungry, professional, and he's saying exactly what he knows those people want to hear, but he's also being authentic and humble. It's a win-win [for the Falcons]."
On the field, the Butkus Award winner offers elite versatility as an off-ball linebacker and on the edge as a pass-rusher. He dominated SEC competition while at Georgia and can do a little bit of everything for a defense that sorely lacked playmakers.
Off the field, the Jalon Walker effect will be felt just as much.
"[Walker] is going to go into the Falcons locker room and try to earn the respect of the veterans, do what the coaches are telling him to do," Butler finished. "Undoubtedly, the vets and third-, fourth-, fifth-year guys in that locker room will respect Jalon Walker because the dude's a bad-a** and a winner of national championships."
Leadership, especially in the wake of Grady Jarrett moving on this offseason, will be a major key in what Jalon Walker will eventually bring the Falcons in the years to come.