Atlanta has two obvious gems from the NFL draft: Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. However, not enough people talk about what they did after that. The Falcons went out and got several key pieces to round out their defense in the draft, and followed up with undrafted free agents.
Walker and Pearce are on everyone’s radar for Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, this pickup by the Falcons could be a dark horse DROY contender.
Falcons Third-Round Pick Turns Heads as a Surprise DROY Contender
Xavier Watts: Anchor for the Fighting Irish
It is a prestigious honor to be a consensus All-American at the collegiate level. Xavier Watts did it twice at Notre Dame. After redshirting his freshman year, he finished his career with the Fighting Irish with 188 total tackles, 13 interceptions, 8.5 tackles for loss, and a defensive touchdown.
His 13 interceptions are tied for third in program history at Notre Dame. For reference, he led the nation with seven interceptions in 2023 and was third in the country with six in 2024. It is uncommon for a player who is such an acclaimed and proven ball-hawk to fall to the third round of the draft. Atlanta knew they had a steal when they selected him, and fans and experts did too. He was the leader of a program that went all the way to the National Championship. His play and character set a precedent that this Atlanta Falcons team can definitely benefit from.
Jeff Ulbrich Scheme with Watts
Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has already had high praise for Xavier Watts. He has emphasized that Watts reminds him a lot of current safety Jessie Bates III. He has stated that Watts shares an elite knowledge of anticipating plays and alignments. Ulbrich stated Watts, from tip to tip, he knows everything that is going on.”
The plan for Atlanta is for Watts to line up alongside Bates. Watts will play a key role in being a playmaker on defense. He will have free ability to get after the ball and be a true playmaker… just like he was at Notre Dame.
How Watts can win DROY
There is already a plan in place for Watts to gain meaningful snaps. Watts is going to learn behind one of, if not the, league’s best safety in Jessie Bates. If Watts ever lines up on the opposite side of Bates, quarterbacks won’t throw in Bates’ direction. They’ll go the rookie’s way. We know from Watts’ time at Notre Dame that he can be a playmaker if thrown his way. Watts will be put in a perfect situation for a ball-hawk safety in Atlanta. He’ll have the opportunity to play free in the secondary and be moved around in several different formations. He’s got plenty of vets to learn from and not a lot of pressure to perform early and quickly.
Watch out for Xavier Watts this season. He will turn heads and surprise a lot of experts who did not expect him to be such a factor for Atlanta. Expect him to make several big plays and be a highlight player for Atlanta, and potentially be a DROY contender.
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