Atlanta shocked the league by taking quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall in last year's draft after signing Kirk Cousins to the biggest deal in free agency last offseason. That move proved to be the right one as Cousins struggled and Penix took over for the final three games as Atlanta made a frenzied push for the playoffs.

This time Atlanta will wait until selection No. 15 to draft. Atlanta is called a trade-back candidate, though. Moving back can potentially hand the Falcons extra picks from the five they currently hold. Kirk Cousins rises as the option who can alter the draft though a trade deal.

The Falcons won't necessarily take a defensive player with their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, GM Terry Fontenot said.