Anonymous NFL coordinator praises Falcons rising star

Matt Urben, Falcons WireFri, Jul 17, 2026·2 min read

The Atlanta Falcons may have shipped Terry Fonetnot out of town after a fifth consecutive losing season as general manager, but he had arguably his best draft in 2025. Jalon Walker lived up to the hype out of Georgia, James Pearce led all rookies in sacks (before his arrest) and Billy Bowman started at the nickel before his injury.

However, third-round pick Xavier Watts might be the best draft pick of Fontenot's entire tenure in Atlanta. The safety out of Notre Dame claimed a starting role on the Falcons defense during training camp. Watts quickly established himself as a ballhawk next to Jessie Bates III and led all rookies with five interceptions.

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Going forward, Bates and Watts should be one of, if not the, best safety duos in the league. Bates was ranked the fifth-best safety in ESPN's poll of NFL execs and coaches. While Falcons Watts did not make ESPN's top 10 list, he was listed in the honorable mentions section.

Here's what one anonymous NFL coordinator told Jeremy Fowler about the second-year safety's elite upside.

"He has a chance to be one of the best safeties in the league. [He] has very similar qualities to his running mate [Bates]." - Anonymous NFL coordinator to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler

It's hard to imagine a more dangerous duo in the league when it comes to combined range in the secondary. Watts and Bates both have exceptional anticipation, as shown during last year's shocking upset over the Los Angeles Rams.

Bates picked off Matthew Stafford once while Watts came down with two interceptions against the eventual league MVP.

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The Falcons were to land another starting-caliber defensive back in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft by taking Clemson's Avieon Terrell. The younger brother of A.J. Terrell could challenge Mike Hughes for time on the outside and potentially help in the slot.

Watts and Pearce nearly did enough to save Fontenot's job, but ultimately Atlanta went in a different direction. We'll see if Ian Cunningham can get the team over the hump in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Anonymous NFL coordinator praises Falcons rising star