5 Georgia Bulldogs stars the Atlanta Falcons could take in the 2025 NFL Draft

It does not pay to be stupid. I might be biased, but I do not understand why the Atlanta Falcons historically avoid signing and drafting players from Georgia. Yes, there may be some fear that comes from the notion of what if it does not pan out for this former Dawg star in Atlanta? Life is not about living in fear. It is about getting the most out of it. This continues to be a foolish venture for Atlanta.

Look. If Georgia stunk as a college football program, I would have not problem with my hometown Falcons shunning their players in the draft. However, Georgia has been one of the most consistently strong programs in college football for over a decade now. Everyone else is drafting former Georgia stars on defense. Look no further than the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles who have a ton.

While the Falcons are not swimming in a ton of draft capital, they owe it to themselves to at least consider adding a high-end player out of Georgia in this draft. I know they have signed players like Todd Gurley in recent years, as well as drafted guys like John FitzPatrick, Zion Logue and Justin Shaffer, but they were either so far past their prime like Gurley was, or late day-three draft picks.

If the Falcons were to draft a single off Georgia player this spring, I would hope it is one of these five.

5. Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse

Eventually, the levee is going to break. If it keeps on raining Dawgs and not cats in Philadelphia, when are the Falcons ever going to learn their lesson? While defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse may only be a late, day-three pick, the Falcons are in dire need of a pass rush for the umpteenth year in a row. The Eagles never have any issue with this, largely because Howie Roseman drafts Georgia players?!

No, I do not see Stackhouse having anything more than a brief NFL career as a rotational player, but he has played in a ton of big games throughout his Georgia career. He has great leadership traits, which I think could help get the Dirty Birds over the top in the trenches. At this stage of the game, Terry Fontenot just needs to keep throwing darts at the defensive line board and see what sticks.

Stackhouse may be a rotational depth redundancy, but I want to see a Falcons pass rush before I die.

4. Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Smael Mondon Jr.

While most of Falcons fans' collective attention will be tied to what Atlanta does with its first-round pick at No. 15 this spring, Terry Fontenot needs to not fail wildly with any mid-round pick he has this year. Picking in day two has been his bugaboo. Although I see Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. being more of a fourth or fifth-round pick, let's not pass on a guy who reminds me of Nakobe Dean.

Dean was far more talented than Mondon coming out, but a bum shoulder knocked the 2021 Butkus winner down to the third round. Who picked him? You guessed it! The Eagles?! Mondon is a local product with great football instincts. Let's not play dumb by taking fliers on FCS guys with top-100 picks. Again, Mondon is probably an early day-three pick, but he fits what Atlanta could be wanting.

Atlanta needs to get any sort of value with his second to fourth-round picks in the next two drafts.

3. Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Mykel Williams

We have arrived at the first of three first-round prospects that have entered this year's NFL Draft out of Georgia. Admittedly, edge rusher Mykel Williams might be the most talented of the trio, but he offers the greatest level of variance as well. He missed a good bit of time this past season due to injury, but whenever he was out there the last three years, the guy made plays. Williams may be a star.

For that reason, I would not be the least bit surprised if Williams ends up being a top-10 pick, a player who will long be off the board before the Falcons are picking. Atlanta may try to convince us that its combination of Arnold Ebiketie and Bralen Trice will be good enough, but I was not born last night... Regardless, Williams has an outside shot at being a top-five pick. I think he lands with rival Carolina.

I might pull all of my long blonde hair out if the Falcons pass on Williams if he were to fall to No. 15.

2. Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks

All things equal, Georgia safety Malaki Starks may be the player I want to see the Falcons draft the most. Admittedly, safety is a position that is often overlooked in terms of roster construction. Plus, it is not one you regularly reach for in an NFL Draft. However, if teams picking ahead of the Falcons like Indianapolis, Miami and San Francisco have interest in him, then why not stop Starks' potential fall?

My thought here is Atlanta seems to know what it is doing more in the secondary than it does along the defensive line and in the front-seven in general. Starks could be a suitable long-term replacement should the Falcons move on from veteran Justin Simmons after one season. The Falcons may need a cornerback more, but Starks was a special playmaking talent, who thrived while starring with Georgia.

Starks may end up being the pick for the Falcons, but I would surely hate to see him play elsewhere.

1. Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Jalon Walker

Until proven otherwise, Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker is my pick to go to the Falcons at No. 15. While there has been some hoopla about the Falcons taking James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee or even Mike Green out of Marshall, I am going to scream myself Tom Coughlin purple if the Falcons take either of those guys and they bust, and Walker becomes a perennial 10-sack guy somewhere else.

Although Walker plays quite differently than the two other Georgia Butkus winners who starred for Kirby Smart in Roquan Smith and Nakobe Dean, this guy can completely take over a game. His tremendous play in both Texas games are why a beat-up and depleted Georgia team ended up winning the SEC last season. Walker can be a matchup nightmare for NFL offense for years to come.

Walker will come off the board after Mykel Williams and Malaki Starks, so he may be the Falcons' pick.