The Atlanta Falcons are generating serious excitement around their 2025 rookies as training camp heats up. That being said, one name stands above the rest: safety Xavier Watts. Quietly selected in the third round of the draft, Watts has impressed coaches, veterans, and analysts alike with his versatility, consistency, and well-rounded game, signaling that the Falcons may have found a critical piece to finally return to the postseason.
While James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker received much of the spotlight (after all, they were first round selections), Xavier Watts slipped mostly under the radar. Yet, as the season approaches, the buzz around Watts has soared. Veteran safety Jesse Bates called Watts “a hell of a football player”, signaling immediate respect within the locker room. Additionally, Watts is competing with established players like Jordan Fuller for the starting safety role, with the coaching staff alternating reps between them during camp. It’s starting look like the Falcons coaches are preparing Watts for a starting role in this defense sooner rather than later. To support this, local Falcons analyst Adnan Ikic has noted that Watts is seeing significant run with the starters, underscoring the team’s serious investment in his development and potential.
What truly sets Xavier Watts apart is his balance across multiple key defensive skills. In direct comparisons within the 2025 draft class to higher-profile first- and second-round picks like Malaki Starks and Nick Emmanwori, Watts boasts superior overall, coverage, and run defense grades according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) data.
While Starks may have a slight edge in run defense, Watts is better from a coverage perspective and as an overall player. And that’s not an indictment on Starks or Emmanwori. Both are good prospects who should do big things in the NFL. But Watts seems to just be better.
Atlanta’s defense has struggled in recent years, particularly in rushing the passer and generating sacks. To address that, the Falcons have added plenty of edge rushing talent. But edge rushers often have run defense liabilities and in a sense Atlanta could be traded one weakness (pass rush) for another (run defense). Watts can mitigate that risk because he is such a well rounded player. He can not only contribute in coverage but also hold the line defensively in the run game.
The below chart illustrates how Atlanta’s defensive ranking placed them near the bottom in both rushing and passing defense in 2024, highlighting the importance of fielding players like Watts who can elevate overall defensive performance and not just one attribute.
General manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris have learned from past mistakes, notably with veterans like Matthew Judon, who excelled at rushing the passer but struggled against the run. Balanced additions like Watts provide an overall boost to the defense with little downside risk.
One of the more underrated aspects of Xavier Watts is his impressive college career. At Notre Dame, he earned back-to-back All-American honors and amassing 13 interceptions over his last two seasons. He often played his best games when the lights were brightest, as evidenced in the National Championship game where he earned a 70+ grade across all facets of play: run defense, tackling, pass rush, and coverage.
This comprehensive skill set, combined with his high football IQ and physicality, positions him as a prime candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and a cornerstone for Atlanta’s defense for years to come. With the Falcons’ defensive rebuilding underway and young talent like Watts emerging as a cornerstone, Atlanta is shaping up to be the toughest team in the NFC South. If healthy and properly supported, the Falcons could contend not just in their division but throughout the entire NFC.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the Saturday Morning Inspection YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
