Latest news with #XavierWatts
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How will ‘fire and ice' rookies Xavier Watts, Billy Bowman Jr. fit in Falcons' secondary?
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The first day Atlanta Falcons rookie defensive backs Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. got on the practice field, assistant head coach for defense Jerry Gray was already workshopping nicknames. 'I'm probably going to nickname them 'fire and ice,'' said Gray, who oversees Atlanta's secondary. 'When you talk to them, you'll see.' Advertisement Bowman, a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, is the fire. He isn't shy about what he thinks he can accomplish in his first NFL season. 'My expectations are always (to start) right away,' he said. 'I'm a guy that's an alpha, and I'm sure that the other guys here are alphas, too. We're going to come in, compete, make each other better. If I don't start, I'll do whatever I need to do to make the team better. I'm going to always put myself in position to be in that conversation.' Watts, a third-round pick out of Notre Dame, is the ice. He's the verbally bland to Bowman's bombast, and his thoughts about how he'll fit in are going to stay his own, it seems. 'I am not really expecting anything,' he said. 'I'm just trusting my teammates and coaches, and we'll see what happens.' The personality difference isn't consequential to the Falcons, though, because Bowman and Watts are remarkably similar players: offensive standouts in high school who helped their teams to undefeated state championship seasons with a track record of impressive interception numbers and went on to have decorated careers at major universities. Both players were draft values for the Falcons, too, according to The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who had Watts projected as a second-round pick and Bowman as a third-round pick. The 6-foot, 204-pound Watts was Brugler's third-ranked safety, and the 5-10, 192-pound Bowman was his fifth-ranked safety. Oklahoma S Billy Bowman, Jr. (#2). A massive 4th down tackle on Luther Burden III here, showing off some of his best traits: play speed, vision, instincts and physicality. Really good player. — Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 13, 2024 Watts led the FBS with 13 interceptions in the past two seasons, which he says was 'not by coincidence.' 'I have a really good feeling for the game of football, and I'm able to get the ball,' he said. He will have a chance to earn a starting spot at safety alongside Jessie Bates III, whom Watts says he has long modeled his game after. Advertisement 'I just think we're very similar,' Watts said. 'We're similar in size. He gets the ball. He's a playmaker. He can tackle well. So, I feel like we're very similar in all aspects of the game of football.' The Falcons would have considered taking Watts with the No. 46 pick in the second round if they had not traded that pick away, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. In addition to Bates, Atlanta already had free-agent signee Jordan Fuller, DeMarcco Hellams and Benny Sapp II at safety. 'It's going to be a very competitive safety room,' coach Raheem Morris said. 'Having Watts come here and compete with those guys, get a chance to get on the field and really be productive for us is something that we look forward to doing this spring.' The Falcons traded a 2026 fifth-round pick to move from No. 101 to No. 96 to take Watts because they were concerned he was going to be selected by another team, specifically the Las Vegas Raiders, who picked at No. 98, Ulbrich said. 'When we have that much conviction on a player and when we have intel about where a player can go … we know we need to get up to a certain spot, and if a player is that good, then we're going to be aggressive and go up and get them,' general manager Terry Fontenot said after Watts was selected. 'This guy's a stud. So, we're very excited. We were aggressive when we went up and got him and very excited about that. I mean, outstanding character, serious worker, competitor, high-end instincts, former receiver, ball hawk.' Fontenot used many of the same words to describe Bowman a day later. 'If you don't enjoy watching him play, then you just don't like football,' Fontenot said. 'He's got ball awareness and is just an unreal competitor. Next-level competitor. So, very, very excited about him and what he brings to our team and our defense.' Advertisement Bowman, who had 11 interceptions in his final three years with the Sooners, is being cross-trained at multiple positions in the secondary, but Atlanta's coaches ultimately envision him as a nickelback. 'He's a guy who has shown elite coverage skills,' said Mike Rutenberg, the Falcons' defensive pass game coordinator. 'He can match on a slot. He has really good short-area quickness. It takes some DNA, too, and he's built from the right stuff.' Rutenberg attended a private workout with Bowman in Norman, Okla. 'It didn't take me five minutes to realize, 'This guy loves football,'' the coach said. 'I was getting ready to head to dinner. He wanted to keep grinding on tape. Then, when we went to dinner, he wanted to keep talking about football.' Bowman, who said he had a feeling after that workout that Atlanta was targeting him, had six interceptions in his junior season and returned three of them for touchdowns. He had 251 yards' worth of interception returns throughout his college career, which he attributes to his high school career at running back and wide receiver. 'I feel like the traits of knowing and feeling routes, I can kind of see one guy do something, and I know what else is coming after that,' he said. 'I also pick up on tendencies really quickly on the offensive side of the ball, just because I've played it all the time. So, whether that's motions or a certain route and things like that, I feel like it helps me a lot, knowing and understanding the other side of the ball.' Bowman hopes to improve the consistency of his tackling, but the impact of his tackling is one of the things that caught the eye of the Falcons' personnel department. 'He's kind of got a cobra strike in a short space,' assistant general manager Kyle Smith said. 'He's got the skill set to play both safety and nickel. Why we like him at nickel is the condensed spaces, the twitch, the explosion, his aggressive demeanor.' Advertisement Watts and Bowman could be starting by the end of the 2025 season, Smith said. 'We're not just adding bodies,' Fontenot said. 'We know the versatility that we have there at the safety position, the nickel position. These are all needs for us, and it worked out that we were able to get impact players in those spots. It doesn't always work out like that. Very excited about that.' (Photo of Xavier Watts: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
ESPN ranks 3 Falcons among top 100 picks in 2025 NFL draft
It's been less than a week since the 2025 NFL draft concluded and those around the league seem to have mixed feelings about the Atlanta Falcons' five-player draft class. The team landed three potential starters on the first two days before adding two high-upside selections on Day 3. Some NFL analysts have praised Atlanta for upgrading its pass rush with two first-round edge rushers. ESPN's Matt Miller ranked the top 100 picks in this year's class based on value, need and fit. Three of Atlanta's selections made the list. Advertisement Walker, a projected top-10 selection, was ranked as Miller's fifth-best pick in the entire draft. Jalon Walker's pick ranking: 5th Walker was a top-five player on my board, and Atlanta ended his draft-night slide midway through the first round. Not only did the Falcons get great value, but they also got a player who fits perfectly for its scheme and need. Walker's NFL position has yet to be determined (he played both linebacker and edge at Georgia in 2024), but he brings desperately needed speed and high upside as a pass rusher in a 3-4 alignment. -- Matt Miller, ESPN Walker has been almost unanimously praised as a great pick by Atlanta due to his mix of value and need. It also doesn't hurt that he's the first Georgia Bulldogs player that Atlanta has selected in the first round. Xavier Watts' pick ranking: 31st Getting a 54-pick value is always good, but pairing Watts with Jessie Bates III is great. It gives Atlanta a ball-hawking safety duo. Watts' 13 interceptions in his past two seasons at Notre Dame made him one of the country's best defensive backs, and he now brings that ability to a Falcons defense that also nabbed edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. in Round 1. -- Miller Billy Bowman's pick ranking: 72nd Atlanta doubled down at edge rusher and safety, and Bowman's versatility aligns with new teammate Xavier Watts' skills. Bowman might see snaps at nickel safety first, but he has starter upside and ball skills. -- Miller Bowman gets overlooked within this year's class, but he's another rookie who's likely to play a role this season on special teams and possibly at the nickel. After landing two edge rushers, the team was still able to find two playmakers in the secondary who can take the ball away. Advertisement Watts should contribute this season as the third safety behind Jessie Bates and Jordan Fuller. The Notre Dame Standout will definitely get on the field and has a good chance to eventually start next to Bates. There's a lot to like about the Falcons' 2025 draft class, but there's serious pressure on the team's two first-round picks to produce. In our latest post-draft lineup projections, we have both Walker and Pearce slotted in as starters. Around Falcons Wire This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons 2025 NFL draft class includes 3 of ESPN's top 100 picks
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Falcons rookie minicamp: Watch highlights from Day 1
On Friday morning, the Atlanta Falcons opened up rookie minicamp with their 2025 NFL draft class. A total of 41 players were in attendance, including the team's five draft picks, 11 undrafted free agents and several tryout players. First-round picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. took the field for the first time in a Falcons uniform. Third-round pick Xavier Watts, fourth-rounder Billy Bowman and seventh-round pick Jack Nelson each signed their rookie contracts before taking the field on Friday. While these workouts aren't overly intense, let's check out some clips from Day 1 of Falcons rookie minicamp. Jalen Walker, James Pearce take the field Jalon Walker vs. sled James Pearce Jr. putting in work Xavier Watts shows elite hops Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Billy Bowman and Cobee Bryant stop by Around Falcons Wire This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons Rookie Minicamp: Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr. highlights
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Falcons sign three members of 2025 NFL draft class
On Friday, the Atlanta Falcons signed three of the five members from their 2025 NFL draft class, the team announced. Third-round pick Xavier Watts, fourth-round pick Billy Bowman and seventh-rounder Jack Nelson each signed their rookie contracts. Watts, a playmaking safety out of Notre Dame, has a chance to start or at least play a key role on the Falcons defense this season. Bowman, another former safety, is expected to move over to the nickel spot. Nelson is an experienced offensive lineman who can provide depth as a swing tackle. How much will each Falcons rookie cost against salary cap? EDGE Jalon Walker - 2025 Cap Hit: $3,738,612 (Unsigned) Advertisement Total contract value: $20,562,366 EDGE James Pearce Jr - 2025 Cap Hit: $3,050,686 (Unsigned) Total contract value: $16,778,776 Safety Xavier Watts - 2025 Cap Hit: $1,125,192 (Signed) Total contract value: $,6,188,556 DB Billy Bowman - 2025 Cap Hit: $1,086538 (Signed) Total contract value: $5,186,152 OT Jack Nelson - 2025 Cap Hit: $878,154 (Signed) Total contract value: $4,352,616 As you can see, these three rookies will combine for a salary cap hit of roughly $3 million this season. The Falcons had a projected $9.7 million in cap space available before signing Watts, Bowman and Nelson. Now, they are left with around $6.6 million. Around Falcons Wire This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Falcons sign Xavier Watts, two other rookies
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Falcons sign first-round pick Jalon Walker to rookie contract
The Atlanta Falcons have now signed four of their five selections from the 2025 NFL draft, inking first-round pick Jalon Walker on Friday evening. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Walker officially signed a four-year, $20.56 million contract, which will include a fifth-year option since he's a first round pick. The Falcons also signed safety Xavier Watts, defensive back Billy Bowman and offensive lineman Jack Nelson to their rookie deals on Friday morning. First-round pick James Pearce Jr. is the last unsigned member of the team's 2025 draft class. Advertisement Atlanta kicked off rookie minicamp on Friday and all five draft picks were in attendance. In total, 41 players showed up for Day 1. Check out each projected rookie contract below. How much will each Falcons rookie cost against salary cap? EDGE Jalon Walker 2025 Cap Hit: $3,738,612 (Unsigned) Total contract value: $20,562,366 EDGE James Pearce Jr. 2025 Cap Hit: $3,050,686 (Unsigned) Total contract value: $16,778,776 Safety Xavier Watts 2025 Cap Hit: $1,125,192 (Signed) Total contract value: $,6,188,556 DB Billy Bowman 2025 Cap Hit: $1,086,538 (Signed) Total contract value: $5,186,152 OT Jack Nelson 2025 Cap Hit: $878,154 (Signed) Total contract value: $4,352,616 Around Falcons Wire This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons sign first-round pick Jalon Walker to rookie contract
