When the 2025 NFL Draft concluded, one name continued to echo through the halls of the Atlanta Falcons' front office: Xavier Watts. The Notre Dame safety had inexplicably tumbled all the way to the third round, landing in the Falcons' lap with the 96th overall selection. What seemed like a draft-day mystery to many analysts has quickly become a season-long advantage for Atlanta.
The NFL's evaluation process is far from perfect, and Watts represents perhaps the most glaring miscalculation of the 2025 draft cycle. While teams invested early picks in other defensive backs, the Falcons watched in disbelief as a player with first-round tape and elite production continued to slide down the board. Their patience was rewarded with a defensive centerpiece who has already begun to reshape their secondary.
A Collegiate Resume That Demanded Attention
Watts' final two seasons at Notre Dame weren't just productive—they were historically dominant for a deep safety. In 2024, quarterbacks testing the talented defender faced disastrous consequences: only 17 completions on 32 attempts for a mere 179 yards. More importantly, Watts intercepted six passes while allowing zero touchdowns and breaking up four additional throws. The resulting 30.1 passer rating for opposing quarterbacks wasn't just good; it was elite.
His junior season was equally impressive. In 2023, Watts allowed 19 catches on 32 targets for 198 yards, again without surrendering a single touchdown. He added seven interceptions and compiled a 37.8 opponent passer rating. The consistency across both seasons told a clear story: this was a playmaker who could shut down the deep middle of the field.
What made these numbers even more remarkable was Watts' deployment. Playing as a deep safety on 67% of his snaps in 2024, he intercepted as many passes as he allowed completions. This is the kind of statistical anomaly that typically sends draft stock soaring, yet somehow it had the opposite effect.
The League's Puzzling Hesitation
So why did 31 other teams pass on Watts multiple times? The answer appears to lie in outdated evaluation metrics and rigid physical prototypes. At 5'11¾" and 204 pounds, some scouts labeled him a "tweener"—not quite big enough for linebacker, not quite the ideal height for safety. His 40-yard dash time of 4.58 seconds and 10-yard split of 1.58 seconds, while respectable, didn't match the blazing numbers that often trigger draft-day surges.
The NFL's obsession with measurables over production created a blind spot. Teams seemed to overlook that Watts' game speed and football intelligence consistently trumped his combine numbers. His ability to read quarterbacks, anticipate routes, and position himself perfectly couldn't be captured in a stopwatch. The league's loss has become the Falcons' foundational piece.
A Position of Paramount Importance
In today's pass-heavy NFL, having a credible deep-third safety isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. Defenses without one are, as the saying goes, "utterly hosed." Modern offenses stretch the field vertically with regularity, and a safety who can patrol the deep middle while making quarterbacks think twice is worth his weight in gold.
Watts excelled in this exact role at Notre Dame. His instincts for when to break on the ball, combined with reliable hands and the awareness to avoid biting on play-action, made him the ideal last line of defense. The Falcons recognized this immediately, seeing a player who could solve a problem that has plagued their defense for years.
The Comparison Game
The 2025 safety class was widely viewed as a three-player tier at the top, with Watts, Georgia's Malaki Starks, and South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori leading the pack. Each offered a slightly different skill set, but all projected as impact starters.
Emmanwori heard his name called early in the second round (35th overall) by the Seattle Seahawks, where head coach Mike Macdonald envisioned him as his new Kyle Hamilton—a versatile chess piece in his defensive scheme. The comparison made sense given Macdonald's role in developing Hamilton during his time as Baltimore's defensive coordinator.
Starks became a first-round selection (27th overall) by the Ravens, joining a franchise with a rich tradition of defensive excellence. His transition to the NFL has been smooth, living up to expectations as a solid contributor.
Yet Watts, whom many analysts considered the premier deep-third specialist of the trio, watched 95 players get drafted before him. The Falcons' war room couldn't believe their fortune.
Atlanta's Defensive Renaissance
New Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been candid about the organization's shock at Watts' availability. "It's funny, you create these clusters of players at every position and obviously you have your preferences," Ulbrich noted, barely containing his enthusiasm. "But when a guy like Xavier is just sitting there in the third round, you thank your lucky stars and sprint to the podium."
Ulbrich's scheme emphasizes versatile safeties who can disguise coverages and provide help over the top. Watts fits this vision perfectly, offering the range and ball skills to make quarterbacks pay for aggressive throws downfield. His presence allows Atlanta's cornerbacks to play more aggressively underneath, knowing they have a reliable eraser behind them.
Immediate Impact on Sundays
Watts wasted no time translating his college success to the professional level. His performance on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams served as a national coming-out party. Facing a veteran quarterback and a sophisticated passing attack, Watts looked like anything but a rookie.
He consistently positioned himself in the quarterback's intended throwing lanes, using his exceptional field vision to anticipate routes before they developed. His interception in the second quarter showcased everything that made him special at Notre Dame: reading the quarterback's eyes, breaking on the ball with precision, and finishing the play with secure hands.
The Falcons' coaching staff has increasingly leaned on Watts in high-leverage situations. On third downs and in the red zone, his ability to eliminate deep threats has become a cornerstone of Atlanta's defensive game plan. Opposing offensive coordinators must now account for him in their scouting reports, a remarkable development for a third-round rookie.
The Ripple Effect
Watts' emergence creates a positive feedback loop throughout the Falcons' defense. His ball-hawking ability forces quarterbacks to check down more frequently, allowing Atlanta's front seven to be more aggressive in their pass rush. The shortened throwing windows give defensive linemen extra fractions of a second to reach the quarterback.
Furthermore, his success validates the Falcons' scouting department and front office philosophy. While other teams chased prototypes, Atlanta prioritized production and football character. This approach has netted them a potential franchise cornerstone without the franchise cornerstone price tag.
Looking Ahead
As the 2025 season progresses, Watts' role will only expand. The Falcons have already begun experimenting with him in different coverage shells, occasionally bringing him down into the box to utilize his tackling ability against the run. His football intelligence suggests he'll handle these additional responsibilities with the same grace he's shown as a deep safety.
The NFL's draft-day oversight has become one of the season's best storylines. While teams who passed on Watts may have regrets, the Falcons are focused on building around their unexpected star. His combination of instincts, production, and competitive fire suggests a bright future in Atlanta.
For a league that sometimes overcomplicates player evaluation, Xavier Watts serves as a reminder that great football players often reveal themselves most clearly on game tape. The stopwatches and measuring tapes have their place, but they can't quantify the intangible qualities that separate good players from great ones.
Atlanta understood this. As the season unfolds, 31 other teams are learning it the hard way.