After one week, it feels like Terry Fontenot absolutely smashed the 2025 NFL Draft out of the park for the Atlanta Falcons. The team has four rookie defenders making an impact and it seems as though Fontenot stumbled upon two franchise cornerstones for the defensive line in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr.
In their NFL debuts, Walker and Pearce looked like a smashing success—but it doesn't end there. The Dirty Birds also struck gold in the secondary with the selection of safeties Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr.
In Week 1, Watts recorded six tackles and just missed out on recording two interceptions, while Bowman—whom new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich moved to nickel corner— logged six tackles of his own. Both looked poised, physical, and unshaken in their first taste of NFL action—which saw each of the young DB's make a positive impression on Ulbrich.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich on safety Xavier Watts and cornerback Billy Bowman Jr.: "They don't feel like rookies. .. I've never felt those guys flinch."
— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) September 11, 2025
Falcons’ rookie duo is making all the right kinds of noise
With a much-improved pass defense, Ulbrich is learning the benefits of having rookies with high-level college experience firsthand. Both played at high-level programs—and that pedigree paid off. And the pair fit perfectly with his focus on youth and speed on defense,
Watts was the anchor of Notre Dame’s secondary, where his instincts and range made him one of the nation’s most feared safeties. And after nabbing 13 interceptions across his final two seasons in South Bend, he was an All-American in both before being selected with the 96th pick this past April..
Bowman, meanwhile, cut his teeth in the Big 12 (and later SEC) at Oklahoma, carving out a reputation as a versatile, do-it-all defender who thrives in the slot. And that jack-of-all-trades skillset prompted Ulbrich and Raheem Morris to select the 22-year-old with the 118th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Yet Ulbrich isn't the only one who's been impressed by the pair. Star safety Jessie Bates III said he was "not surprised at all" about Watts' dazzling debut—and was even seen coaching him up on the sidelines. As a seven-year NFL veteran, he's worked with a lot of rookies, and Watts and Bowman Jr made a quick impression on him.
Falcons safety Jessie Bates III on whether defensive backs Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. are two of the more mature rookies he has played with: "For sure. Those guys' football IQ is pretty damn high."
— Terrin Waack (@TerrinWaack) September 11, 2025
For years, the Falcons’ secondary has been a sore spot—often leaving A.J. Terrell as the lone consistent presence in pass coverage. But now, with Watts and Bowman stepping in, Atlanta suddenly looks deeper and more dynamic on the back end—and could give Bates III a new long-term running mate after the Justin Simmons signing crashed and burned.
If their rapid ascent continues, the pair could help redefine Atlanta's defense for years to come. However, youngsters are going to need to face a true test on Sunday Night in what figures to be an offensive tug-of-war against the Vikings' electric offense.