FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The college football realm has changed drastically in the last five years.
Between 2020-21, the NCAA extended eligibility timelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed athletes to benefit financially off their name, image and likeness (NIL) and changed transfer rules so players can suit up immediately for a new school rather than sit out a full season first.
In turn, conversations surrounding the NFL draft have shifted. As transfers became more common, teams had to determine whether it mattered how many colleges a prospect ultimately attended.
Each member of the Atlanta Falcons' five-player class in the 2025 NFL draft spent his entire collegiate career at one program. The only other NFL team that can say the same is the Minnesota Vikings, who also had five picks.
As a refresher, below are the Falcons' selections:
- Round 1, Pick 15 | Jalon Walker, edge rusher | Georgia, 2022-24
- Round 1, Pick 26 | James Pearce Jr., edge rusher | Tennessee, 2022-24
- Round 3, Pick 96 | Xavier Watts, safety | Notre Dame, 2020-24
- Round 4, Pick 118 | Billy Bowman Jr., defensive back | Oklahoma, 2021-24
- Round 7, Pick 218 | Jack Nelson, offensive tackle | Wisconsin, 2020-24
"I thought that was pretty unique," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. "I didn't realize that."
Said Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot: "It is unique, this year particularly. You have some people that have been at three different schools, and it does make it more challenging for scouts to go to a lot of different sources and different places and piece together information. But I would say no, it's not a disqualifier to go to a lot of different schools."
The No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Cam Ward, had three schools on his resume. He started at Incarnate Word (an FCS program) in 2020, transferred to Washington State in 2022 and then transferred again to Miami in 2024. That clearly didn't deter the Tennessee Titans from selecting him.
That wasn't the norm, however. At least not in the first round. Of the 32 Day 1 picks, 25 went to just one school, including the Falcons' Walker and Pearce.
"There's so many different stories," Fontenot said. "I wouldn't say that it's not a negative at all when guys move and go to different places. But look, I didn't even realize it, honestly."
Once the detail was pointed out after the tentpole event concluded, though, Morris and Fontenot got to thinking, specifically about those they just brought in house.
"We took some players from big-time schools also," Morris said. "... You don't really necessarily transfer from those types of schools."
Fontenot said: "I'm picturing, if you're the head coach at a university and I'm the general manager at the university, and … you come to me at the end of each season and say, 'Don't lose these players. Figure out where to keep them. You've got an issue with me if you lose them.' These are those kind of players."
History shows this isn't a Falcons rule, like Fontenot already noted. Just last year, Atlanta drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick, and he played for Indiana from 2018-21 before transferring to Washington for the 2022-23 seasons. The year before, all six selections were one-school picks.
Regardless, Morris and Fontenot were happy with their latest results. Their focus remains on the players, not their path.
"These are two guys that really don't know much about NIL," Morris said, "and that's pretty cool when we sit up here trying to think about it right now."
