Falcons select Notre Dame's Watts 96th overall

The Atlanta Falcons selected Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 96th overall.

Watts was a dominant force for the Fighting Irish's defense over the last two seasons, totaling 13 interceptions in his last 29 games.

Pre-draft profile

Watts is a true ball hawk. His 13 interceptions over the past two seasons were a product of elite coverage instincts and a nose for the football. The Notre Dame standout processes the pass game at an extremely high level, consistently putting himself in position to break on routes and create turnovers. And when he has a chance to make a play, he's got the ball skills to finish. His athletic profile is a bit of a question mark for the NFL, as he doesn't have great speed and he's not the most fluid mover in man-to-man coverage. Those factors could make fit an important part of the equation, but there should be plenty of ways for him to shine at the next level. Watts would have a particularly strong chance of leveraging his processing ability and playmaking skills into effective play as a safety in a two-high zone defense.