FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — After Notre Dame lost a linebacker to a season-ending injury in the Fighting Irish's 2021 season opener, then-head coach Brian Kelly turned to a sophomore wide receiver who had yet to take a snap that fall for help.

Xavier Watts didn't hesitate to switch sides, immediately swapping out his offensive jersey number since it was already claimed by a senior defensive player, and work in a rotation role on the opposite side of the ball.

"I wanted to help out with the team," Watts said. "It was both our decision."

It took a beat for Watts to make his first-ever collegiate tackle. Five games, to be exact. He made three – one solo, two assisted.

Watts didn't take a snap in the next game. Notre Dame lost a safety to a season-ending injury.

This time, then-defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman turned to Watts for help.

Again, Watts didn't hesitate. He made three tackles, all of which were solo, in his debut for the secondary. The performance that changed everything in Watts' young career was Notre Dame's 34-6 win against Navy on Nov. 6, 2021.

"He did some things in that game that you can't teach," said Freeman, who became head coach later that year and remains as such to this day. "The way he tracked the ball and the way he tackled displayed that he had a skill set for playing safety that is hard to teach. We knew if he committed to being a full-time safety and worked at it tirelessly, then he would be a heck of a player. He did both."

Watts appeared in every game from then on, settling back into the position he last played in high school. After becoming a full-time starter for the 2023-24 seasons, Watts put together a highlight reel that landed him on NFL radars, including the Atlanta Falcons'.

In 2023, Watts was named a captain for the first time. Then, he led the FBS with seven interceptions and won the Bronko Nagurski Award, which is given to the nation's top defender. He also had a 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

"A team of scouts actually sat me down and asked me about him," said Falcons inside linebacker JD Bertrand, who was college teammates with Watts for four seasons. "I think my exact words were: He really wants to work."

In 2024, his second year as a captain, Watts made six interceptions, including a 100-yard pick six. He was the Sugar Bowl MVP, as Notre Dame beat Georgia to advance in the College Football Playoff bracket. Notre Dame ultimately lost to Ohio State in the national championship game.

"His final year in our program was the best year he had for us, regardless of stats," Freeman said. "He is always in the right place at the right time and made all the plays that he was supposed to make."

Watts was the only FBS player with double-digit interceptions between the 2023-24 seasons.

The Falcons picked him with the No. 96 overall pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They traded up in order to do so, giving the Philadelphia Eagles their No. 101 selection and a 2026 fifth-rounder.

"There's a lot of guys at Notre Dame that have had dads in the NFLs or just have the resources that they can succeed really fast," Bertrand said. "X has always wanted to. Because he's from Omaha, Nebraska, I just don't think there was as much opportunity for him to be with the 'best' trainer and yada yada. I knew that when he got those resources, he was just going to continue to get better and better."

Boy, did he.

The Falcons have only played four games this season, and Watts — who was named a starter before Week 1 even began — already has two interceptions. He first picked off quarterback J.J. McCarthy late in the fourth quarter to secure the Falcons' Week 2 win against the Minnesota Vikings. He then picked off quarterback Marcus Mariota in the end zone during the Falcons' Week 4 win against the Washington Commanders.

"I'd say I'm a quick learner," Watts said. "I don't want to boast or anything, but yeah. It's been a process. It's been difficult. But I feel like I have been able to pick up certain things quickly."

Watts is one of 18 players in the NFL with multiple interceptions. Only four have more, and they're all veterans. Watts is the sole rookie in this regard, too. There are five others with one interception.

That's why, last Wednesday, the 23-year-old was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month.

"Xavier Watts is a selfless, hard-working leader who is consistent in everything he does," Freeman said. "Nothing he is doing in the NFL is a surprise to his Notre Dame family."