Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said at the NFL owners meetings it's difficult to say the Falcons will draft an edge rusher early, because he alone doesn't control the draft.
But the overwhelming expectation -- especially when considering team needs and player fits -- remains that the Falcons will pursue a pass rusher in the first round. And according to ESPN's Jordan Reid, two players are emerging as favorites.
"The Falcons are not shy about taking the best player available on their board regardless of position (see last year's Michael Penix Jr. pick), but an AFC scout told me last week he'd 'be stunned if they don't take a defensive lineman,'" Reid wrote.
"There will be plenty of options at No. 15, with edge rushers Mike Green (Marshall) and Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M) being heavily linked to Atlanta since the combine."
The 6'3", 248-pound Green was one of college football's best overall defenders in 2024. In addition to his nation-leading 17 sacks, he finished tied for ninth with 59 pressures and he was second in the FBS with 32 run stops. He earned All-American honors from several outlets and was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.
Green, who didn't test at the NFL combine and only participated in select events at his pro day, clocked a 6.85-second 3-cone and a 4.25-second time in the 20-yard shuttle. His 3-cone time would've been the best among all defensive linemen and linebackers at the combine, while his 20-yard shuttle would've ranked second at both positions.
There are, however, off-field questions Green has been forced to answer publicly.
Green has faced two separate cases of sexual assault allegations. In high school, the police did its due diligence before closing the case. After the 2022 season, Green left the University of Virginia after being suspended due to an anonymous report of assault. He said he hasn't been questioned about it by the police.
At the NFL combine, Green vehemently denied the allegations.
The Falcons sent a heavy contingency to Green's pro day March 24, and if the Williamsburg, Va., native passes Atlanta's off-field checklist, he'd be a significant addition to the team's pass rush.
The same is true for Stewart, a chiseled, 6'5", 267-pound defensive lineman who lit up the 2025 NFL combine after running a 4.59 40-yard dash and notching a 40-inch vertical jump. However, he's faced questions about his production throughout the pre-draft process.
Stewart recorded only 4.5 sacks -- 1.5 in each season -- during his three-year, 37-game collegiate career. He tallied 11 tackles for loss, half of which came in 2024.
When speaking at the NFL combine, Stewart said production is "overrated." Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko, who addressed reporters at the Aggies' pro day March 27, offered a deeper response that provided context to Stewart's numbers.
"I don't think you can just look at sack numbers," Elko said. "I think I read somewhere he had about one-third the amount of one-on-one pass rush opportunities this year because of double teams, chips, seven-man protection, screens. People went against those kids with a plan of: how to not allow them to impact the game."
The 21-year-old Stewart had an "official-30" visit with the Falcons after the NFL combine. Atlanta, which owns the No. 15 overall pick in the first round, has been a common pairing for Stewart in mock drafts.
Stewart has a wealth of traits that offer hope about his upside as a pass rusher. He often flashes speed-to-power ability, and he can condense pockets with the jolt in his hands. But the Miami native lacks a consistent pass rush plan, and he doesn't have much depth to his arsenal.
On rushing downs, Stewart uses his frame and strength to set a quality edge, though he's proven he can hold up at the point of attack on the interior as well.
The Falcons finished second-to-last in the NFL with 31 sacks in 2024, and Morris wants to keep adding to a unit that signed standout edge rusher Leonard Floyd to a one-year, $10 million contract in free agency.
"I think you can't have enough edge," Morris said. "I think that's got to be something you're always constantly doing. It's a different position than quarterback, when you only play one. On the edge, you play a bunch of different people. You get a chance to roll those guys around.
"You can make the movement you have to make necessary to go out there and try to win match ups. And I think you want to continue to add those guys as much as you can."
Perhaps Green or Stewart will be the team's addition when the draft begins April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
