South Atlanta News

The Atlanta Falcons have a unique way of acknowledging draft prospects from Georgia by marking them with a Georgia peach on their draft board. This symbolic gesture is meant to identify players who either played high school or college football within the state.

Terry Fontenot, the Falcons' general manager, explained the meaning behind the peach symbol back in February, saying, "We always know that those players are our hometown guys."

Head coach Raheem Morris elaborated on the significance of the Georgia peach label, stating, "There's a reason we put that peach on those guys that get that Georgia grade. Obviously, you want to know where they're from and get more information on those guys. … It's just a really great football, great sports state just in general."

The 2025 NFL Combine saw 41 Georgia-linked prospects among the 329 participants. These included 14 from the University of Georgia and two from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Additionally, 25 prospects attended high schools in Georgia before playing college football elsewhere.

In Daniel Jeremiah's prospect rankings for NFL.com, three of the top 20 players would bear the Georgia peach label. These are cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, edge Jalon Walker, and edge Mykel Williams. Hunter hails from Collins High School in Suwanee, while Walker and Williams both attended the University of Georgia, with Williams also having attended Hardaway High School in Columbus.

The Falcons hold the 15th overall pick in the upcoming draft, along with four more selections in later rounds. Mock drafts by ESPN and The Athletic predict that Atlanta might select Walker in the first round to strengthen their pass rush.

Morris commented on the draft selection process, saying, "I don't determine that. But we'll see. When we get to that pick and we're able to make those selections, definitely they have high value when we talk about our guys."

As the draft approaches, the Falcons keep an eye on available prospects, including those with Georgia roots, while aiming to select the best player available regardless of origin.

Currently, the Falcons' roster includes six players with Georgia ties. Three of these attended college in Georgia, and four went to high school in the state. One player, Charlie Woerner, is counted in both categories, having played at the University of Georgia and Rabun County High School in Tiger.

Terry Fontenot expressed his appreciation for Georgia's contribution to football, noting, "A lot of really good players. Not just the University of Georgia, who's obviously one of the best teams in the country, done an unbelievable job. Then, also, just being from Georgia. I love youth sports and high school sports and all that. Getting to get out and see those young men, I believe it's the best in the country: our high school youth sports in Georgia."