Falcons second-year safety viewed as ready to make another leap

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. In Terry Fontenot’s final draft as the team's general manager, the Falcons found a potential long-term defensive building block in Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts.

The Falcons used the third-round selection they acquired in the James Pearce Jr. trade to climb five spots and land Watts. That move quickly paid off. Watts entered the league with plenty to prove, then turned training camp into a statement by earning a starting role.

Once the regular season arrived, he backed it up with production. Watts led all rookies with five interceptions, a total that also tied for the second-most in the NFL. His immediate impact gave the team another young defensive piece to pair with one of the league’s more talented secondaries.

What's next for Xavier Watts?

Now, the question becomes whether Watts can take another step in his second NFL season. NFL.com's Nick Shook believes the answer is yes, naming the 24-year-old safety among 10 players who "should improve" in the upcoming NFL season:

"Watts had an excellent rookie season, racking up five interceptions and 11 passes defensed on his way to finishing fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. That's a high bar to exceed, but it's also indicative of how much faith I have in Watts, a player I could not believe was still available in the latter portion of the 2025 NFL Draft's third round."

This level of praise says plenty about how quickly the second-year defensive back changed expectations. He is no longer just a promising mid-round pick. He now enters 2026 as one of the Falcons’ most significant young defenders and a player opposing quarterbacks must account for. Shook added to that belief by highlighting his fit in defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s system:

"Watts is an animal and the perfect fit for Jeff Ulbrich's defense, which he demonstrated as a rookie. Now, he's poised to build upon that sparkling debut. Circle back to this nugget when he posts even better numbers in Year 2."

If Watts builds on his rookie production, Atlanta’s defense could become one of the more difficult units to attack through the air. With Jessie Bates also patroling the secondary, quarterbacks will have limited room for error.

The former All-American at Notre Dame did more than prove he belonged as a rookie. He announced himself as a real problem for NFL quarterbacks. Year 2 now gives him the chance to turn a breakout debut into a full-blown statement season for Atlanta’s defense.