Xavier Watts Could Be the Steal of the Draft
Moreover, as a player who is both mentally prepared, physically refined, and versatile in the draft. Watts' story isn't simply one of talent; it's one of relentless development, elite football intelligence, and a preparation process that left nothing to chance. Watts excelled at Notre Dame with 33 consecutive starts, culminating his career with eye-catching numbers.
188 total tackles (117 solo)
13 interceptions (tied for 3rd-most in school history and the most since 1996)
273 interception return yards, 2 defensive touchdowns, and 18 passes defensed
Multiple forced fumbles and fumble recoveries
He won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top defensive player in college football and unanimous All-America honors for his breakout 2023 season, which included seven interceptions. In 2024, he made his best 82 tackles of his career, along with six more interceptions, 10 pass breakups, and another pick-six. Watts' Irish career ended with him being a two-time consensus All-American, a Notre Dame team captain, and a key member of one of the country's most respected defenses.
Watts trained with Augustine Ume-Ezeoke, the founder of AUE Performance, to prepare for the NFL jump, which is aimed at developing not only stronger athletes but also smarter ones. Ume-Ezeoke, who also worked closely with first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr., aided Watts in enhancing the exceptional qualities that made him a significant player at Notre Dame.
'College safeties can sometimes rely on raw athleticism, but in the NFL, a false step is the difference between a pass breakup and a touchdown,' said Ume-Ezeoke in an exclusive interview with RG. 'We layered speed and decision-making into his drills—motion shifts, sudden breaks, NFL route concepts. Every step had to be intentional.'
Watts not only met the challenge, but he thrived in it.
According to Ume-Ezeoke, Xavier Watts' mental toughness is what separates him from his physicality or instincts.
'I'd put him in uncomfortable situations—fatigued reps, surprise challenges. Verbal pressure—just to simulate the mental chaos of the league. He embraced it. His ability to stay composed and driven through it all is why I believe he'll have longevity in the NFL.'
Watts was projected as a second-round talent by many analysts, but ended up on Day 2. With humility and hunger, he embraced the process instead of letting it derail him.
'He wasn't chasing the hype,' Ume-Ezeoke added. 'He was chasing growth.'
Watts, a smart, adaptable, and ball-hawking defender. Joins Atlanta's defense as they seek to replace veteran safeties and address the need for playmakers. The Falcons can be flexible and reliable in the secondary thanks to his ability to play in multiple coverages, diagnose offenses pre-snap, and deliver in big moments. The culture Atlanta is attempting to cultivate is perfectly matched by Watts' reputation for film study, sideline leadership, and team-first mentality. His effect may not always be apparent on the stat sheet right away, but his presence will be felt.
The NFL Draft is often filled with headlines that focus on quarterbacks and top-10 picks. But it's players like Xavier Watts, who was drafted in the third round, who often define a franchise's long-term success. In Watts, the Falcons didn't just get a safety. They have someone who sets the tone. One with top-tier production. One with a pro's mindset. A person who is ready to meet the moment and then another one.
TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
26 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Deion Sanders Is One of One — and His Fight Is a Lesson in Purpose
With a kind of joy, sincerity and charisma that can only come from Deion Sanders, Colorado's head coach sat at a press conference on Monday, fighting back tears beside two medical professionals he credited with helping save his life. They told the world that Sanders was diagnosed with bladder cancer earlier this summer, underwent a procedure to remove it after a malignant tumor was found, and is now cancer-free. Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urological oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, voiced the two words that fans of Coach Prime and Colorado athletics wanted to hear: "It's beaten." For weeks, speculation and rumors had run amok about the health of Sanders, one of the most prominent and ubiquitous figures in the sport. But there was no arguing he'd become reclusive at a moment when coaches were out recruiting and politicking for the game. The 57-year-old Sanders had largely been out of the public eye since the conclusion of spring practice. Sanders' oldest son, Deion Sanders, Jr., was the first and only family member to tell the public that his father was in the midst of a battle he could only reveal so much about, posting a video on social media earlier this month when he was heard saying his father was dealing with a health concern and making it clear that any prayers would be welcomed. For the coach who brought Colorado its first nine-win season since 2016, its first Heisman winner since 1994 and a national presence and relevancy that the program hasn't enjoyed since winning a share of the 1990 national championship, the return of questions about Sanders' health was challenging. This is especially true after Sanders, who had life-saving surgery to remove blood clots just two years ago, signed a contract to stay in Boulder that will see him make more than $10 million annually. However, his sons no longer play football for a team he coaches. Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman winner, is at NFL training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Sanders were to walk away and manage his health, even for a little while, the sport would've felt his absence. After all, there is not another coach in the country who could succeed in hosting his own talk show on Tubi, earn late-night television spots during the offseason to promote his book and coach a program at the Power 4 level. We know this is true because he's the only person who has done it. Just like he is the only person to play in the World Series and the Super Bowl. Just like he's the only Power 4 coach to begin his career as a college football head coach without a single stop as an assistant at the NFL or college level. Sanders is one of a kind. He is unique. He is truly one of one. However, from the first week of May through the last week of July, Sanders only met the obligations he had to, including an appearance at Big 12 Media Days, where he dismissed questions about his health and mustered a robust argument for a salary cap in college football. "I'm not here to talk about my health," Sanders said at Big 12 Media Days. "I'm here to talk about my team." He did that, while breaking protocol in the process. Traditionally, coaches who are overseeing a QB competition elect not to bring either, allowing folks who write and talk about the sport for a living to draw their own conclusions. Instead, he brought both Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis, setting the narrative that he truly feels good about either of them starting Week 1 against Georgia Tech. And he did all of that while recovering from the kind of surgery that can be life-threatening, making the decision not to tell anyone outside a close group of family and friends about it. "I'm truly thankful that God is so good," Sanders said as he stared up at the sky, put his hands in a prayer position and took a deep pause to gather himself. "You have no idea how good God has been for me to be here." Sanders got to tell his story, but I hope he won't forget that only he has the ability to call a news conference on a Monday afternoon in late July to tell the world about his fight with cancer, and we all came running. I hope he will remember we were here to celebrate his victory with him. Hold him in our prayers, walk through life doing the best we can for each other, live our lives as he has. Coach Prime has lived his life with passion, with drive. He has decided he will make the rest of his life about coaching the sport he played better than almost everybody else who has ever touched a football because he believes it is the best way to reach the most people and develop the best men the world could know. "I always knew I was going to coach again," Sanders said on Monday. "It was never in my spirit, in my heart, that God wouldn't allow me to coach again. (I) never thought like that." Let what Sanders endured over the past couple of months and his ability to find purpose in everything he does serve as a reminder to us all. This life we live can feel unbearable, unfair and unkind. It takes from many more than it gives. But, today, we learned once again, it can give back. It can give us back perspective when we can't see past our inconveniences and our tragedies. It can give us purpose if we feel we have no merit, no position to play in its game. It can give us back our heroes when it lays them low so that we might watch them fight back with grace, honor and integrity. Coach Prime, one of the biggest names in college football, has his values personified and his faith displayed constantly. He beat cancer with a full-time job in one of the most pressurized environments sports has to offer. Because of course he did. Because he's Prime. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him at @RJ_Young . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
A.Q. Shipley replaces Ron Wolfley as radio analyst for Cardinals broadcast team
A.Q. Shipley will join Dave Pasch in the radio booth this year, replacing Ron Wolfley, who stepped down after 20 years. The Arizona Cardinals have decided on a new radio analyst to partner with Dave Pasch for their games this season. Replacing Ron Wolfley, who stepped down from the job after 20 years, is former Cardinals center A.Q. Shipley. The team made the announcement on Monday. Shipley played for the Cardinals from 2015-2019, playing in 110 games and starting 72. Since his NFL retirement, he has been a regular guest on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN. He gives weekly breakdowns of offensive line play. He joins Pasch, entering his 24th season as the team's play-by-play announcer, and Paul Calvisi, the team's sideline reporter, who enters his 21st season with the team. Here were some of the reactions. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
CBS News
27 minutes ago
- CBS News
Cowboys Tyler Guyton out 4-6 weeks with bone fracture ahead of season opener
Cowboys left tackle Tyler Guyton was hurt in practice Monday, the second injury on Dallas' offensive line in as many days. According to multiple reports, Guyton has a broken bone in his right knee that will not require surgery and he could miss four to six weeks. The Cowboys open the season at the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4, meaning a recovery on the longer end of that timeframe would put Guyton's availability in question for that NFC East game. Guyton, a first-round pick out of Oklahoma, started 11 games and played in 15 as a rookie last season. The Cowboys have been counting on the 6-foot-7, 325-pound Guyton taking a step forward in his second season as part of a reconfigured offensive line. Dallas lost reserve lineman Rob Jones for two to three months because of a broken bone in his neck sustained during its first padded practice on Sunday. Jones had been competing with rookie first-round draft pick Tyler Booker to start at right guard.
