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Falcons list surprise defensive line starter on Week 1 depth chart
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- Falcons list surprise defensive line starter on Week 1 depth chart
The Atlanta Falcons released their first depth chart of the 2025 NFL season on Tuesday afternoon, and there were a few surprises on the defensive side of the football. While the team listed rookies Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr . as starters, first-round picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. were among those on the second-string defense.
However, the biggest surprise actually came on the interior of Atlanta's defensive line where former fourth-round pick Brandon Dorlus was listed ahead of former second-round pick Ruke Orhorhoro . The two interior linemen were selected two rounds apart in the 2024 NFL draft.
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This doesn't seem like a big deal on the surface, but the Falcons traded up to get Orhorhoro with the 35th overall pick. The former Clemson standout didn't play much as a rookie, and despite being listed on the first-team defense on all three preseason depth charts, Orhorhoro has been leapfrogged by Dorlus going into Week 1.
In 2024, Orhorhoro appeared in eight games and played 148 defensive snaps, recording 11 tackles (four solo). Dorlus' played even less, appearing in just two games (19 defensive snaps) and recording three tackles (one solo).
The 2025 preseason was a different story, though. Dorlus received outperformed Orhorhoro with five solo tackles and one sack in two games. Orhorhoro didn't receive as much playing time, so perhaps the coaching staff liked what Dorlus put on film.
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Check out the Falcons' full depth chart for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers below.
Quarterback
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Michael Penix Jr . (9)
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Kirk Cousins (18)
Running back
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Bijan Robinson (7)
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Tyler Allgeier (25)
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Nathan Carter (38)
Wide Receiver 1
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Drake London (5)
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KhaDarel Hodge (4)
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David Sills (87)
Wide Receiver 2
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Darnell Mooney (1)
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Casey Washington (82)
Wide Receiver 3
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Ray-Ray McCloud (34)
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Jamal Agnew (14)
Tight End 1
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Kyle Pitts (8)
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Feleipe Franks (15)
Tight End 2
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Charlie Woerner (89)
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Teagan Quitoriano (85)
Left Tackle
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Jake Matthews (70)
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Michael Jerrell (72)
Left Guard
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Matthew Bergeron (65)
Center
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Ryan Neuzil (64)
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Jovaughn Gwyn (52)
Right Guard
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Chris Lindstrom (63)
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Kyle Hinton (68)
Right Tackle
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Elijah Wilkinson (71)
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Jack Nelson (69)
Defensive Line
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Brandon Dorlus (54)
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Ruke Orhorhoro (98)
Defensive Line
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David Onyemata (90)
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Zach Harrison (96)
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LaCale London (94)
EDGE
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Arnold Ebiketie (17)
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Jalon Walker (11)
EDGE
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Leonard Floyd (56)
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James Pearce Jr. (27)
Inside Linebacker
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Kaden Elliss (55)
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JD Bertrand (40)
Inside Linebacker
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Divine Deablo (0)
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Josh Woods (42)
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DeAngelo Malone (51)
CB1
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A.J. Terrell (24)
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Dee Alford (20)
CB2
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Mike Hughes (21)
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Clark Phillips III (22)
NB
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Billy Bowman Jr . (33)
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Natrone Brooks (35)
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Mike Ford (28)
Safety
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Jessie Bates III (3)
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DeMarcco Hellams (23)
Safety
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Xavier Watts (31)
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Jordan Fuller (29)
Specialists
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Kicker: Younghoe Koo (6)
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Punter: Bradley Pinion (13)
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Long snapper: Liam McCullough (49)
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Kick returner:Jamal Agnew (14)
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Punt returner:Jamal Agnew (14)
The Falcons will open the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET. The Falcons are hoping wide receiver Darnell Mooney will be ready for the game despite missing most of training camp due to a shoulder injury.
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Head coach Raheem Morris said we can expect to see all four defensive rookies -- Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr., Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. -- play in Week 1. Watts and Bowman will start their first NFL game at safety and cornerback, respectively.
Make sure to check out the Falcons' updated 53-man roster (including uniform numbers ) and 16-man practice squad ahead of Sunday's season opener against the Buccaneers.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Dorlus to start over Ruke Orhorhoro
