Safety Xavier Watts was named to The Athletic’s early All-Rookie Team.

After barely playing their 2024 draft class last season, the Atlanta Falcons have taken a different approach with their rookies in 2025. The team selected two first-round edge rushers in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. as part of a long-overdue effort to upgrade the defensive front seven.

While Walker and Pearce have excelled early in the season, the Falcons‘ two mid-round selections have been surprisingly effective as well. Third-round pick Xavier Watts and fourth-rounder Billy Bowman Jr. both won starting jobs out of training camp. Thus far, the two defensive backs have combined for three interceptions in four games.

The Athletic released its early All-Rookie Team this week and Watts was named a starting safety. Meanwhile Bowman, Pearce and Walker were listed as honorable mentions. Check out what The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had to say about Watts below:

Hard to believe, I know, but the player who made a habit of taking the ball away in college (13 combined interceptions over his final two years at Notre Dame) is the only rookie with multiple interceptions in 2025. Watts leads all first-year safeties in both passes defended (four) and interceptions (two), and he has shown the same field vision and range that he put on his college tape.

Because of his college production, many in the league expected Watts to be drafted within the top two rounds, so he was a gift for the Falcons late in Round 3. Through four weeks, Watts is on the short list of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates. — Dane Brugler, The Athletic

The Falcons received a fair amount of criticism for trading up for Pearce, but not many gave the team credit for moving up for Watts two rounds later. Atlanta received a third-round pick back from the Rams in the trade for Pearce, which the team used to move up from pick 101 to No. 96 to secure Watts.

The former Notre Dame standout was ranked as the 31st player on the Pro Football Focus big board, and thus far in 2025, he has the third-highest PFF grade on the team.

Atlanta let former Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons walk in free agency, signing veteran Jordan Fuller as a low-cost replacement. However, Watts quickly rose to the top of the safety depth chart in training camp and his future looks extremely bright.

The Falcons secondary has been notably better under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich this season. Plus, head coach Raheem Morris’ background as a former defensive back and DBs coach has helped these young players play with confidence early on.

Atlanta has a bye in Week 5 before returning to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 6.