The Falcons may have moved on from Terry Fontenot after a fifth straight losing season, but his 2025 draft class is already looking like the kind that can change a defense. Jalon Walker arrived with the kind of buzz that usually comes with a first-round name, James Pearce led all rookies in sacks before his arrest, and Billy Bowman earned a starting job at nickel before injury interrupted his year.
Still, the pick that may end up defining that draft for Atlanta is Xavier Watts.
Taken in the third round out of Notre Dame, Watts didn’t need much time to force his way into the lineup. He won a starting role during training camp, then settled in next to Jessie Bates III and played like a true playmaker. By season’s end, Watts had led all rookies with five interceptions and looked every bit like a long-term fit on the back end.
That’s the part that has people around the league talking. Bates was ranked the fifth-best safety in ESPN’s poll of NFL execs and coaches, and while Watts didn’t crack the top 10, he did land in the honorable mentions. One anonymous NFL coordinator went even further when speaking to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler:
"He has a chance to be one of the best safeties in the league. [He] has very similar qualities to his running mate [Bates]."
That kind of praise makes sense when you look at how the two safeties play. Both have the range to erase mistakes and the instincts to jump routes before the ball is even released. Atlanta saw that pairing at its best in last year’s upset of the Los Angeles Rams, when Bates intercepted Matthew Stafford once and Watts snagged two picks against the eventual league MVP.
The Falcons also added another defensive back in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Clemson’s Avieon Terrell in the second round. The younger brother of A.J. Terrell could push Mike Hughes for snaps on the outside and also factor in the slot.
Watts and Pearce came close to making Fontenot’s final stretch in Atlanta look like a rescue job, but the organization went in another direction anyway. Now the question shifts to Ian Cunningham and whether he can finally get the Falcons over the hump in 2026.
In Other News...
Falcons Fans Have A New NFC South Problem To Worry About
The Panthers found a real difference-maker in Tetairoa McMillan, and the Falcons got an early look at just how quickly he can tilt a game. Drafted eighth overall in 2025, McMillan wasted little time validating the pick, finishing his rookie season with 70 catches, 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns while earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
For Atlanta, the bigger concern is that McMillan already looks like the kind of young receiver who can become a division problem for years. Carolina has reason to believe his best football is still ahead of him, which means the Falcons may be dealing with more than one difficult matchup every season if his development keeps moving in the same direction. [Read more 🡒]
Outside Ranking Just Put Falcons Young Core Under A Harsh Spotlight
ESPNs Bill Barnwell took a hard look at the Falcons roster through a trade-value lens, and the exercise offered a revealing snapshot of how the league might view Atlantas young core. Bijan Robinson and Drake London came out as the clubs most valuable pieces in that framework, while Jalon Walker landed in the next tier and several other familiar names were close enough to keep the conversation going.
The more interesting part for Atlanta is how thin the margin can be between premium value and just missing it. Barnwell pointed to Chris Lindstrom and Michael Penix as examples of players whose cases come with clear caveats, but the list also included Kyle Pitts, James Pearce and A.J. Terrell, leaving the Falcons with a few notable names hovering near that first-round line and a couple of unanswered questions about why they fell just short. [Read more 🡒]