FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — After a defense-focused offseason, the Atlanta Falcons entered the 2025 season with two rookies starting in their secondary.
Third-round pick Xavier Watts was the Week 1 starter at safety opposite Jessie Bates III, while fourth-round selection Billy Bowman Jr. earned first reps in the slot. They were the two new faces for a group that otherwise featured a lot of continuity, and the early returns for both players were excellent.
Watts intercepted five passes, tied for the second-most in the NFL, and finished third on the team in tackles. He was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-NFC and All-Rookie teams and was recently announced as a finalist for the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Bowman played six games for the Falcons before an Achilles injury ended his season early, and he left quite the impression in his limited time. The tenacity with which he plays in the slot is inspiring, and he showed a penchant for big plays with two pass breakups, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
When Bowman went down, Dee Alford resumed his starting nickel responsibilities from last season with much better results. It was a redemptive season for Alford, who made some clutch plays for Atlanta's defense throughout the year. A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes were the primary outside cornerbacks for most of the year, although a late-season injury to Hughes created a bit of a rotation. Terrell had another excellent year and held opposing receivers to an average of 2 yards of separation, which ranked fourth-best among outside corners.
And then there's Bates. Atlanta's team captain was one of the most important players on the roster last season, even if his stat line was overshadowed by others' at times. As the best players often do, though, Bates rose to the occasion in the biggest games. His first interception came against Drake Maye and the 6-2 Patriots; his second against Daniel Jones and the 7-2 Colts; and his third and final interception was a pick-six against Matthew Stafford and the 11-4 Los Angeles Rams on "Monday Night Football."
All told, it was a good year for Atlanta's secondary. At one point in the fall, the Falcons owned the league's best passing defense, and they are in a great position to build upon their strong season. Here's a synopsis of how this group did in 2025.
Roster Recap:
- Offense: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Offensive Line
- Defense: Defensive Tackle | Edge Defender | Linebacker
2025 production:
Cornerback
| Player | Games Played | Starts | Tackles | Pass Breakups | Interceptions | Yards/Target | Hawk Rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.J. Terrell | 15 | 15 | 68 | 12 | 0 | 5.9 | 18.5% |
| Mike Hughes | 12 | 12 | 51 | 7 | 1 | 7.4 | 9.9% |
| Dee Alford | 16 | 7 | 67 | 13 | 3 | 6.9 | 17.4% |
| C.J. Henderson | 4 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 6.9 | 25% |
| Billy Bowman Jr. | 6 | 1 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 9.0 | 7.7% |
| Natrone Brooks | 17 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 13.8 | 18.2% |
| Cobee Bryant | 7 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 13.1 | 8.3% |
| Mike Ford | 17 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| DeMarrco Hellams | 11 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Clark Phillips III | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Keith Taylor | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
Safety
| Player | Games Played | Starts | Tackles | Pass Breakups | Interceptions | Yards/Target | Hawk Rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessie Bates III | 17 | 17 | 98 | 6 | 3 | 6.6 | 15.4% |
| Xavier Watts | 17 | 17 | 92 | 11 | 5 | 9.8 | 28.2% |
| Jordan Fuller | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Jammie Robinson | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
*Hawk rate is an NFL Next Gen Stat that measures the percentage of targets where the nearest defender made a play on the football with either a pass defense or interception.
Standout stat: Atlanta's defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) intercepted 14 passes during the 2025 season, which were the fifth-most among all secondary groups.
Standout stat: The Falcons had three players (Xavier Watts, Dee Alford, Jessie Bates III) with at least three interceptions this season. That total was tied for the second-most players on a single team with three or more picks this season. The Texans took the top spot with four players who had at least three interceptions.
Players under contract for 2026:
- S Jessie Bates III
- CB Billy Bowman Jr.
- CB Cobee Bryant
- CB Mike Ford
- CB C.J. Henderson
- S DeMarrco Hellams
- CB Mike Hughes
- CB Clark Phillips III
- S Jammie Robinson
- CB A.J. Terrell
- S Xavier Watts
2026 Free agents:
- CB Dee Alford
- CB Natrone Brooks
Biggest question facing the position group in 2026:
Will the Falcons make a bid to keep Dee Alford in free agency?
Alford has provided a lot of value for Atlanta since joining the team in 2022 as an undrafted free agent. He returned for the 2025 season on a one-year deal, and it was the first time he made more than $1 million in a season. With a team-best 13 pass breakups and three interceptions, his play on the field turned that contract into a bargain.
Now Alford is set to hit the open market yet again, and his pool of suitors could be a bit more crowded than it was last year. The Falcons drafted Billy Bowman Jr. with the idea that he would become their slot cornerback of the future, and he did nothing to damage that notion while on the field. That might make Alford a relative luxury for Atlanta if he's not in their starting plans.
And yet, depth is an essential part of success in the NFL. That is especially true in the secondary, where individual matchups can be exploited over and over again if offenses sense they have an advantage. Alford would be an excellent reserve player to keep in the fold, and he's proven time and again that he can provide starting-quality reps in a pinch.
