It was more than a little surprising that former Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts lasted to the third round of the NFL draft, as the Atlanta Falcons got an absolute steal. Watts has continued to be a massive steal as he begins his second year with the Atlanta Falcons.
Just how big of a steal? Xavier Watts has the most interceptions of any defensive back in the NFL since he entered the league. In other words, he’s picked up right where he left off as a ball hawk when he was in South Bend.
Through three games this season, Watts has tallied 16 tackles and an interception. That continues his strong rookie campaign, in which he notched 96 total tackles and 5 interceptions. Even more surprising, the former Notre Dame star leads the NFL in interceptions, and no defensive back has more than 6 interceptions in that span.
Xavier Watts carries his elite Notre Dame football production to the Atlanta Falcons
Clearly, there aren’t a ton of DBs who rack up INTs the way they used to. Some of that can be chalked up to more accurate passers. Offensive game plans tend to focus more on protecting the ball, even if that means fewer long and medium throws that are more likely to turn it over.
That doesn't take anything away from Xavier Watts, who has had a great nose for the ball since switching from wide receiver to safety at Notre Dame. Once he moved to the defensive side of the ball, he flashed in 2021 and 2022, but took off in 2023, winning the Bronko Nagurski Award and earning unanimous first-team All-American honors. Watts didn’t win any individual awards in his final season with Notre Dame in 2024, but he was again named an All-American, this time a consensus one.
Watts became one of just 17 Notre Dame players all-time to earn two consensus honors, and the first to do so since 1993. Watts was one of two repeat consensus All-Americans across the FBS in 2024, joining Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Watts earned Notre Dame its 111th consensus All-America selection.
Over his final two years with Notre Dame, he also led all safeties in college football in interceptions. In 2023, he recorded 7 interceptions and 11 pass breakups. In 2024, he tallied 6 interceptions and a whopping 16 pass breakups.
Add us as a preferred source on Google