Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts: Falcons of a Feather

The Atlanta Falcons’ 2025 third-round pick, Xavier Watts, could make for a good fit simply based on his influences. 

He said he models his game after Atlanta’s star safety Jessie Bates, and the pair share a bunch of similarities. They’re both of a similar size and have similar traits, such as their ball-hawking capabilities and aptitude to make plays. However, the similarities don’t just end on the gridiron. 

“Both [Bates and Watts] being very highly competitive, both being very cerebral, like we talked about, both having a unique skillset of being a visual player on the quarterback and being able to pick up things very quickly,” Head coach Raheem Morris said in Thursday’s presser. “ But very close, very similar, probably what a Jessie Bates probably was as a rookie.”

Both safeties share the ability to learn on the fly, a great trait for a safety to have. Watts will have to make decisions in the blink of an eye, and the ability to learn so quickly should be reassuring to Falcons fans. Morris added that Atlanta’s safety room is the most detail-oriented note-taking group he has seen.

Bates was asked about the dialogue between himself and Watts.

“You know X [Xavier] and I are very similar,” Bates said. “You know he’s kind of reserved, kind of calm. You can’t really get him out of his shell too much.”

Both players keep to themselves off the field; however, that doesn’t stop either of them from impacting the game on the field. Bates led the NFL in forced fumbles in 2024 with four and was the only player in the league with four or more interceptions and four or more forced fumbles. Watts had six interceptions in 2024, the second most in the NCAA.

Bates goes on to add that the calm and collected demeanor of himself and Watts is a positive to have as a safety. 

“As a safety, you got to be poised. You got to be calm. You got to be able to communicate when things get crazy. And I never see him panic or anything like that,” Bates said. “I think I pride on myself doing that as well. Just being that calm presence for that secondary.”

Bates has taken Watts under his wing this offseason. Mentoring the rookie safety and passing down his knowledge of the game and the safety position. Atlanta drafted Watts in the hopes that he and Bates could be an elite tandem in the secondary for years to come. Both are quiet workers who let their play speak for itself. Both on and off the field, Watts seems to be a mirror image of Bates, making them a potential strong dynamic duo.

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