Where things stand now, the Georgia Bulldogs will probably have three players off last year's defense taken inside of the first round in the 2025 NFL Draft. In the defensive backfield, safety Malaki Starks could go as high as in the top 12, to all the way down to the last pick of the first round. As is the case with edge rusher Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker is probably a lock to go inside the top 16 at this point.
While Williams is the more traditional edge rusher, Walker was an incredible playmaker all across Kirby Smart's defense. His game-wrecking ability in both games vs. Texas helped Georgia win the SEC and earn him the Butkus Award. Walker plays linebacker a bit differently than previous Georgia standouts who won it in Nakobe Dean and Roquan Smith, but he is every bit as instinctive of a player.
So with the NFL Scouting Combine coming up, I have a feeling it may be to the benefit of both Georgia edge rushers. For Williams, this could make him a lock to go inside of the top eight. As for Walker, that is potentially in play as well, but I think once people see his measurables, they are not going to care as much about him being a largely position-less player coming out. He is so NFL-ready.
With that in mind, here are the five teams I think could end up taking Walker inside of the first round.
5. San Francisco 49ers
While I may not go as far as to say that taking an edge rusher at No. 11 overall would be of great priority to them, the San Francisco 49ers love taking chances on players with great athletic upside. The thing about San Francisco is you never know what general manager John Lynch is thinking at any given point in time. He often fails wildly with first-rounders, but will often end up with day-three gems.
The thing that I keep going back to with the 49ers and why I included them on this list as the fifth-best option is they need to be more sustainable. With the amount of money they are expected to pay Brock Purdy on his new contract, getting an All-American playmaker inside of the top 12 like Walker may allow them to pivot off older players on the defense with a bit more ease. There is also this, too...
If the 49ers do not take him at No. 11, what are the chances the Seattle Seahawks take him at No. 18?
4. Seattle Seahawks
I just mentioned them, but I really like the Seattle Seahawks to potentially stop Walker's draft-day fall if it were to come to that. Mike Macdonald is a defensive-minded coach, as well as a Georgia alum. As is the case with the 49ers, John Schneider is going to go to the beat of his own drum like John Lynch does in a draft. Trying to predict what the Seahawks are going to do each spring is a foolish endeavor.
Truth be told, I struggle to see Walker making it past the Atlanta Falcons picking at No. 15. They need a pass rusher like you and I need another break financially. Since I do not trust the Dirty Birds as far as Michael Penix Jr. can throw a football, I could see a situation where the Seahawks take advantage of the Falcons' big mistake and draft Walker at No. 18. The combine is going to raise his floor massively.
The Seahawks have been able to sustain some level of excellence because of how well they can draft.
3. New Orleans Saints
I could be totally wrong in this, but I have a hard time seeing Walker playing for anyone else outside of the NFC South. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are picking at No. 19, but Seattle is up right before them. I have the New Orleans Saints on here as the third-best landing spot, mostly because I have no idea what direction the team will be heading in under its new staff. It just will not be taking a quarterback...
As is the case with the San Francisco 49ers picking at No. 11, the Saints picking at No. 9 could conceivably fall in love with Walker after the combine and heading into the pre-draft process. Cam Jordan is not getting any younger, and Chase Young feels like he is a one-and-done player for them out on the edge. Plus, drafting Walker would make life harder for the other three teams in the division.
I may be leaning defensive back with the Saints' first-round pick, but they may be taking Walker here.
2. Atlanta Falcons
This would make my day. The Atlanta Falcons have not had a consistently reliable pass-rusher since John Abraham exited his prime well over a decade ago. When people think of the Falcons, they think of blown leads, embarrassing collapses and never getting after the quarterback for the life of them. I understand Atlanta historically does not draft Georgia players, but I would make an exception here.
At this point, I would be shocked if the Falcons did not go with defensive stars with their first and second-round picks this spring. I am leaning edge rusher in the first round, but it could be another defensive back. Since Atlanta is picking after Carolina and New Orleans, it may not be up to the Falcons. Plus, there could be other players of note the Falcons may want at the position instead.
My thought is why let a team like the Buccaneers take a player you could have used to beat them...
1. Carolina Panthers
This is going to suck, but it is the prudent move for the Carolina Panthers to make picking at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. They are much further along in their rebuild than you and I or anyone else for that matter would like to ever admit. Dave Canales and Dan Morgan are changing the game. Look at how much better Bryce Young got as the year went along. Walker might be the pick for them.
I will say though that the pick for the Panthers at No. 8 could potentially be Walker's college teammate and fellow edge rusher Mykel Williams. The scouting combine may elevate both edge rushers out of Atlanta and Tampa Bay's clutches completely. Carolina has the first pick of any team in the division. I would be utterly shocked if the Panthers pass over both Georgia stars in the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 8.
Whenever Carolina fields a championship-caliber team, the Panthers have stars in their front-seven.