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Newsstand: Former Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts earns starting gig with Atlana Falcons

Kyle Kellyby: Kyle Kelly08/29/25ByKyleKelly
Xavier Watts
Atlanta Falcons safety Xavier Watts. (© Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)

Former Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts’ NFL career is off to a strong start.

On Thursday, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced Watts will start at safety in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The decision comes after Watts had 4 tackles in two preseason games. He has also impressed during training camp. 

“Watts is an adult. That’s the easiest way for me to put it,” Morris told reporters earlier this month. “He is serious. There’s not a lot funny to him. He’s very conscientious. He’s got pro-like skill sets. He also gets some first-team reps. He’s able to mix it up with the second team. He’s able to be a leader that way.”

The Falcons selected Watts with the No. 96 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was the second Notre Dame player to come off the board, following Morrison, who the Buccaneers drafted with the No. 53 overall pick.

Watts was one of the best safeties in college football the last two seasons. He was a first-team All-American both years, including a unanimous one in 2023, the year he won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. 

It’s been a great week for former Notre Dame safeties. On Wednesday, Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta announced they made Kyle Hamilton the highest-paid safety in NFL history. DeCosta rewarded him with a four-year, $100.4 million deal, including $82 million guaranteed. 

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