The Falcons are coming off a franchise record-setting season for their pass rush, and the defensive line was a major contributor to that success. While the edge rusher room also took significant strides in 2025, it was actually the interior that made up the bulk of Atlanta’s sack count. That’s quite the turnaround for a unit that looked stuck in the mud during the 2024 season, with regression across the board and virtually zero production from two highly-drafted rookies.
Thankfully, 2024 wasn’t indicative of the talent on this defensive line. Let’s take a closer look at how Atlanta’s interior defenders fared during the 2025 season.
David Onyemata
2025 Stats: 17 starts, 17 games played | 62 total tackles, 29 solo, 7 TFL, 4.6% missed tackle rate | 1.0 sacks, 6 total pressures
2026 Status: Free Agent
The Falcons made a curious decision to keep David Onyemata in 2025 despite the opportunity for significant cap savings. I’m not sure Onyemata was ultimately worth the lofty price tag, but I do think Onyemata played a significant role for Atlanta’s revamped defensive line. As one of the only effective run stoppers, Onyemata’s presence on early downs was critical to a line that struggled in that regard through most of the season. His pass rushing ability fell off significantly, but he was still an impact player against the run.
Ruke Orhorhoro
2025 Stats: 17 games played, 8 starts | 25 total tackles, 12 solo, 4 TFL, 0.0% missed tackle rate | 3.5 sacks, 8 total pressures, 1 PD
2026 Status: Under contract (through 2027)
One of Terry Fontenot’s big swings, Ruke Orhororo was always considered a long-term project. After a disastrous 2024 where he barely saw the field under Jimmy Lake, 2025 was a meaningful step forward. Orhorhoro was inconsistent, but did make some impact plays throughout the year. He was a reliable run defender when needed, and started to show some juice as a pass rusher. His play seemed to improve throughout the year, setting him up for a potential breakout 2026 season.
Brandon Dorlus
2025 Stats: 15 games played, 9 starts | 27 total tackles, 15 solo, 11 TFL, 3.6% missed tackle rate | 8.5 sacks, 14 total pressures
2026 Status: Under contract (through 2027)
What a turnaround for Brandon Dorlus, who was relegated to just 19 snaps in his rookie season before bursting onto the scene as one of the NFC’s best interior pass rushers in 2025. Really can’t say enough bad things about Jimmy Lake, folks. At any rate, Dorlus showed off his incredible burst and finishing ability, generating big plays in both the run and pass game. Dorlus’ 8.5 sacks were second on the team, and his 11 TFL led the team. An injury late in the season cut his production short, but Dorlus is clearly an ascending player who should be a stalwart on Atlanta’s new-look defensive line for years to come.
Zach Harrison
2025 Stats: 7 games played, 7 starts | 22 total tackles, 9 solo, 5 TFL, 8.3% missed tackle rate, 2 FF | 4.5 sacks, 6 total pressures, 1 PD
2026 Status: Under contract (through 2026)
It’s not unreasonable to say that Zach Harrison was Atlanta’s best defensive lineman through the first half of the season. Harrison’s production in just seven games was outstanding, and he may have even outpaced Brandon Dorlus over the course of a full season. Unfortunately, a serious injury ended Harrison’s season, and kept Falcons fans from seeing a truly dominant interior defensive line. Thankfully, there’s still another opportunity for that in 2026, as Harrison should hopefully return healthy alongside Dorlus and Orhorhoro. Harrison’s versatility and ability as both a run defender and pass rusher make him incredibly valuable in this system. I’d try to extend Harrison this offseason before he has a potentially massive 2026.
LaCale London
2025 Stats: 13 games played, 5 starts | 30 total tackles, 17 solo, 7 TFL, 3.2% missed tackle rate, 1 FF | 5.0 sacks, 7 total pressures, 1 PD
2026 Status: Restricted free agent
LaCale London has been a reliable reserve for the Falcons through multiple coaching staffs and years. With injuries ahead of him last season, London finally got a chance to take on a more significant role, and he delivered. London provided strong play as both a run defender and pass rusher, putting up career numbers on Atlanta’s defensive front. Given his production, I think the Falcons would be wise to offer him a right of first refusal RFA tender to keep him in Atlanta for at least one more season.
The reserves: Kentavius Street, Sam Roberts, Elijah Garcia, Ta’Quon Graham
The Falcons assembled a quality rotation of defensive linemen in 2025, with all playing varying roles throughout the season. Kentavius Street was the primary option, appearing in seven games and notching a couple sacks and some decent production. Sam Roberts and Elijah Garcia were more developmental additions, with both making a few plays here or there but not getting many snaps. Ta’Quon Graham was brought back initially as depth, but didn’t make it far into the season before the team parted ways.
Outlook: Young and hungry
It’s incredible what one season can do for the fortunes of a position group. Going into 2025, fans were rightfully concerned that Atlanta had wasted two draft picks on players in Orhorhoro and Dorlus who couldn’t even crack the rotation. The whole unit looked stuck in the mud, with everyone regressing. Turns out, coaching matters. In 2025, the Falcons unleashed their young trio on the NFL. The emergence of Dorlus and Orhorhoro alongside the continued quality play of Zach Harrison was a major contributor to Atlanta’s record-setting pass rush season.
The Falcons have a rock solid trio between Zach Harrison, Brandon Dorlus, and Ruke Orhorhoro. There’s near-term and long-term potential, particularly for Dorlus and Orhorhoro. Decisions loom on who of this group Atlanta will be able to keep around, as Harrison will be a free agent after the 2026 season. Given Harrison’s track record, I think the Falcons would be wise to lock him up for a few more years while seeing which of Dorlus and Orhorhoro is worth investing in alongside him. LaCale London would be a logical return at the right of first refusal price of $3.55M to round out the unit, with Atlanta likely looking to the draft for a nose tackle. We didn’t see much of Sam Roberts or Elijah Garcia, but both could be brought back as developmental/rotational players.