Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds previews the upcoming Bucs game with six quick-hitting topics. What’s at stake for the Bucs and their opponent, what will lead to a Tampa Bay victory or loss, and a couple of key matchups to watch each week.
University of Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts was known as a ball hawk when he entered the 2025 NFL Draft. In his time with the Atlanta Falcons, he has been just that, learning from and striving with veteran safety Jessie Bates III.
The Atlanta Falcons did not get where they wanted to go last season, falling short of the playoffs for the eighth straight season, but one of their biggest roster wins came from the 2025 NFL Draft.
Can you name the active running backs with at least 20 rushing touchdowns in their career?
FLOWERY BRANCH – A pair of Atlanta Falcons , including one former player, hit a big payday on Monday. The NFL released its ‘performance-based pay,’ with players receiving an allocation of a $542 million pot, and this collectively bargained benefit compensates players based on their playing time and salary levels.
A few trades have rearranged the NFL's backup quarterback ranks, but the dust has mostly settled. From a mix of recent first-round disappointments, aging vets, and young project types, here is how the league's QB2 ranks look for the 2026 season.
The Atlanta Falcons had three players snubbed during Thursday night’s NFL Honors. They had two finalists for the AP Defensive Player of the Year, with edge James Pearce Jr.
Former Falcons GM Terry Fontenot didn’t leave the cupboard bare in terms of roster talent. In fact, his 2025 draft class was a masterpiece, producing four immediate contributors in Jalon Walker, Billy Bowman, James Pearce Jr., and Xavier Watts — with Pearce and Watts already trending toward becoming All-Pro caliber players.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) released its 2025 NFL Rookie Team of the Year, and of the Atlanta Falcons' two deserving rookies, only one made the list: safety Xavier Watts.
The Atlanta Falcons should feel fortunate that Watts fell to them in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
All offseason, there was talk about the similarities between a pair of Atlanta Falcons defenders, with Watts even mentioning that he models his game after
FLOWERY BRANCH – Xavier Watts wasn’t supposed to matter this much, this quickly, for the Atlanta Falcons . Instead, the Falcons’ third-round rookie has become one of the more productive safeties in the NFL, and a potential foundational piece of Atlanta’s defense.
NFL stars can't play forever, and retirement is coming sooner than later for some of the league's top players. These 25 players could call it quits following the 2026 season.
Atlanta Falcons star safety Jessie Bates is a two-time All-Pro. On Friday, he joked that quarterbacks would be better off throwing the ball his way, as opposed to his counterpart in the secondary, rookie Xavier Watts. “At this point, shoot, they got to stop throwing at X [Xavier Watts], they can start throwing at me,” Bates said.
The NFL announced their monthly awards on Thursday, and two Atlanta Falcons were recognized. Bijan Robinson has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month, and Xavier Watts is the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month.
Adjusting to the NFL can be difficult for rookies, but each season, a few stand out almost immediately. Here are five from Week 4:
The Atlanta Falcons selected Xavier Watts out of Notre Dame 96th overall in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Watts nearly came down with his first interception in his first career start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but came up just a hair short. In his second professional game, under the brightest of lights.
The Falcons were desperately needing depth in the secondary and went with Notre Dame star Watts in the third round. Watts had a very successful career with the Fighting Irish that saw him make the national championship game in his final season.
These four players have been linked to the Eagles in various mock drafts.
No team allowed fewer yards in 2024 than the Philadelphia Eagles. But after parting ways with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the Super Bowl champs could use a good safety.
The New Orleans Saints (5-12) hold the No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and need help at about every position, especially on the offensive line, wide receiver, tight end and edge/defensive line.
Here are 10 prospects from the national championship game who will play in the NFL in 2025.
The opening game of the 2024 College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana got off to an electrifying start on Friday night.
Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts has officially been named a consensus All-American, which recognizes the brilliant 2024 campaign he has had for the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts continues to pile up postseason honors, and the latest is the star from Nebraska earning first team All-America honors from Sporting News. Watts has been named a first team All-American by Sporting News for two straight seasons.
Xavier Watts burst onto the scene defensively in 2023, bringing home the Bronco Nagurski Award as the nation's best defensive player. The wide receiver-turned-safety then brought Notre Dame good news by deciding to return for his final year of eligibility in 2024, instead of entering the NFL draft.
Height: 6000 (unofficial) Weight: 203 (unofficial) Year: Redshirt Senior Pro Comparison: Justin Simmons Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts is a ball-hawking defender on the back end who boasts elite ball skills and game-changing playmaking.
The best defensive player in college football plays for Notre Dame. The Football Writers Association of America said so this week when it awarded Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which annually goes to the nation’s top defensive player.
Earlier in the week, Watts, who hadn't been playing up to his standards thus far, talked to reporters about being too indecisive and vowed to change that against USC.
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