PFF grades Falcons rookies after Week 17 win over Rams

The Atlanta Falcons continue to get major contributions from their 2025 NFL draft class. It seems like each week we are talking about a different Falcons rookie affecting the game, and this was once again the case in Week 17.

Atlanta's 27-24 victory over the Los Angeles Rams was a strong defensive showing as the team intercepted quarterback Matthew Stafford three times. Rookie safety Xavier Watts came away with two of those interceptions in arguably his best performance yet.

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The former third-round pick out of Notre Dame now leads all rookies with five picks and is tied for second in the entire NFL. Watts shined but what about Atlanta's first-round duo of James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker?

Neither player lit up the box score but they got decent pressure on Stafford. Here's what Pro Football Focus had to say about Walker and Pearce after Week 17.

Jalon Walker Week 17 grade: 54.8

Walker's run of strong midseason showings has petered out as the regular season nears its end. He was held to one quarterback pressure against the Rams, giving him just five in his past four outings. -- Dalton Wasserman, PFF

James Pearce Week 17 grade: 54.3

Pearce made one stop in run defense against the Rams to prevent his PFF overall grade from dropping too much, but it was a quiet pass-rushing showing. He finished the contest with two quarterback hurries on 28 pass-rushing snaps, going without a sack for the second straight game after recording one in six straight outings. -- Dalton Wasserman, PFF

Xavier Watts Week 17 grade: 89.8

Watts was obviously not included in PFF's first-round grades feature, but the rookie received an 89.8 grade for his two-interception performance against the Rams. This was the third-highest grade on the entire team, trailing running back Bijan Robinson (91.0) and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus (89.9).

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Edge Khalid Kareem, who was elevated from the practice squad for Week 17, earned an 86.8 for his performance on Monday night. The Falcons will look to close out the season with a win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 18.

Atlanta will need another big game from its rookie class to slow down Tyler Shough and company. The Saints have won four straight games entering Sunday's matchup.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Rookie grades after Week 17