FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons safety Xavier Watts was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month, the league announced Wednesday.
This accolade comes amid the Falcons' Week 5 bye. The team is 2-2.
Atlanta selected Watts with the No. 96 overall pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was named the starter opposite veteran Jessie Bates III before Week 1. Since then, he has proven to be a ball hawk in the secondary, grabbing two picks already.
Watts is one of just 13 players in the NFL with more than one interception. Only two players have more than him — Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd — and both of them are veterans. Watts is the only rookie in the league with more than one interception.
In fact, Watts is the first Falcons rookie with multiple picks since linebacker Deion Jones in 2016 and the first with multiple picks through the first four games since linebacker Al Richardson, who was later voted Defensive Rookie of the Year, and defensive back Kenny Johnson in 1980.
Xavier Watts made an immediate impact in his debut month—relive the September highlights that earned him the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honor.
Watts' interceptions came in each of the Falcons' wins. He picked off Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy in Week 2 and then Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota in Week 4. Watts’ interception in Minnesota sealed Atlanta's victory in the fourth quarter. His interception against Washington prevented the Commanders from scoring off a deep ball in the end zone when Atlanta had a two-possession lead.
"Shoot, you're talking about the Rookie of the Week and definitely put himself in contention for Rookie of the Year," Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said on Sept. 11. "He played that type of game (against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). You saw just the exceptional ball skills, instinct, feel that he has. Now we've just got to refine it and just keep working with him.
"The beauty of X — and I'm getting to know him as we go here — he just feels like a guy that will never be satisfied. He's just going to keep pushing to get better. Guys have a little success early on. Sometimes that's dangerous. They kick their feet up and they believe, 'I got it.' And I don't feel that from him at all."
Overall, Watts has totaled 23 tackles, 17 of which were solo. He has also had four pass breakups.
