FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons selected outside linebacker Bralen Trice from Washington with the No. 74 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Learn more about the Falcons' third-round pick from Friday:
Height: 6-3
Weight: 245
School: Washington
2023 stats: 15 appearances, 15 starts | 49 tackles, 11.5 for loss, seven sacks | Two pass breakups, one forced fumble
Honors: Second-team All-American and first-time All-Pac-12 in 2022 | Led Washington in sacks (nine, seven) and tackles for loss (12, 11.5) in 2022 and 2023 | Third-team All-American, first-team All-Pac-12 and CFP semifinal defensive MVP in 2023
Tori McElhaney's analysis: The Falcons needed an edge rusher? They got an edge rusher. Well, technically, he'll be an outside linebacker for the Falcons. Regardless, the Washington pass rusher makes sense at No. 74 overall.
Trice was the Huskies' top pass rusher for the last two seasons, totaling 16 sacks in that span. More than just sacks, though, Trice consistently and constantly got a quarterback off their spot. He finished as the No. 1 player in the FBS in pressures in 2022 (70) and 2023 (78). If Trice can put an NFL quarterback in tough position, chances are there will be someone else there to clean it up.
According to Dane Brugler's draft guide in The Athletic, Trice's teammates nicknamed him the "Enforcer" for his reliability and durability. He played in every game in the last three seasons.
It may be a small connection, but a connection between Trice and the Falcons nonetheless is defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake. Lake was the Huskies' defensive coordinator in 2018-19. Trice's redshirt year was 2019. For Lake and Trice, it could be a reunion of sorts after first meeting on the recruiting trail years ago.
In essence, Trice is violent and disruptive, exactly what the Falcons need at the position.
