Often overlooked in the draft-day trade the Atlanta Falcons made to acquire James Pearce Jr. in the first round is the third-round pick that was also included in the deal.
Former Notre Dame standout Xavier Watts was a player the Falcons had targeted in the second round, but were able to get him in the third as part of the cost of acquiring Pearce.
Watts has been tagged by many as being a draft steal, and one who might just slide in alongside Bates as a rookie. CBS Sports analyst Chris Trapasso has identified the 23-year-old from Notre Dame as one of the rookies outside the first round who could earn key roles in 2025.
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“Watts is a former receiver-turned-safety, and the ball skills needed to start a collegiate career on offense certainly transferred to the other side of the ball,” wrote Trapasso.” “Watts counters his less-than-stellar speed and suddenness with impeccable football smarts and keen instincts.”
Watts made the conversion from wide receiver to safety look seamless, winning the Bronco Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player in 2023.
Watts timed 4.56 in the forty at his Notre Dame Pro Day, fast enough to get the job done, but not so fast that he’s going to be a speed-reliant player.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich previously put forth the opinion that Watts knows what to do when he gets around the ball.
“The background at receiver. Not only does he have the awareness and the instinct to trigger and get the ball, but he’s got the actual ball skills to make it count and finish,” Ulbrich declared of Watts.
Trapasso is also of the opinion that Watts’s nose for the ball will significantly help the Falcons’ defense when it comes to creating more turnovers.
“The Falcons had 12 interceptions in 2024, and Jessie Bates III had four of them. Watts can carve a niche in Atlanta’s defense because of his natural playmaking skill,” wrote Trapasso.
Furthermore, Watts proved during his stay in South Bend that he can roam closer to the line of scrimmage and make plenty of tackles in run support.
Watts is a versatile defensive weapon for Ulbrich to use moving forward. The forgotten man in the Pearce Jr. trade has a chance, along with Pearce, to remind everyone what a great job the Falcons did of filling needs with outstanding players in 2025.
