The Atlanta Falcons prioritized the defensive side of the ball in the 2025 NFL Draft. Their first four selections were to address their pass rush on the edge as well as the backend of their defense in the secondary.
While head coach Raheem Morris has spoken at length about the rookie following the early portion of the team's OTAs, it appears as though the rest of the league is catching up to what Morris and the rest of the staff in Atlanta had seen since the start of the offseason program.
Falcons Rookie S Xavier Watts Building Buzz Going into Training Camp
NFL.com's Deputy Editor of Written Content, Gennaro Filice, released his All-Rookie Team this week, and Atlanta's third-round pick cracked the list. The Falcons selected former Notre Dame standout safety Xavier Watts with the No. 96 overall pick, and he has already made a name for himself in Atlanta.
"He’s coming in with such a serious demeanor and a mindset, playing in a pro-style defense at Notre Dame and being able to do some of those different things and, like, his mindset is very similar to Jessie," Morris said last month. "What better example for Watts to have than to be able to look at a guy like that and how he prepares and how he studies and how he's actually able to go apply it in the grass, right?"
The ball skills possessed by Watts should make him an immediate threat in the secondary, as he was during his collegiate years. After starting his career in South Bend as a wide receiver, Watts made the switch to defense and racked up an extremely impressive 13 interceptions in his final two seasons as a member of the Fighting Irish.
With Jessie Bates III locked in as the starter at the opposite safety position, what was once a weakness in Atlanta could become a strength sooner rather than later as Watts continues his acclimate himself to the pro game.