Round 2, Pick #48: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

“Miami’s top needs were at cornerback and safety heading into the draft. It went defensive tackle in Round 1 instead, which means it should fill a hole here. Watts is a ball hawking safety who had 13 interceptions over the past two seasons.”

Xavier Watts NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Safety with the versatility and ball skills to make plays from a variety of alignments. Watts plays with rare feel and instincts on the back-end, allowing him to range over the top in single-high or read and drive on throws as a split safety. Watts lined up over the slot at times in college, but he might not have the man-cover talent to do that as a pro. His ball skills and production are intoxicating, but his run support and tackling are quite sobering. Watts lacks pursuit discipline and fails to break down in space, leading to open-field misses and back-breaking mistakes. The tackling lowers his floor some, but I expect him to drift toward his ceiling because he’s so good on the back-end.

Strengths

  • Rare instincts create on-ball production.
  • Plays with excellent twitch and anticipation.
  • Eyes and range to play over the top or put lid on Cover 2 buckets.
  • Tremendous ball skills and feel for passing lanes.
  • Almost never penalized.
  • Very rapid diagnosis and response to the run.
  • Displays good pre-snap recognition of play design.
  • Scheme-independent with ability to play high, low or from slot.

Weaknesses

  • Can be frenetic with false steps at the top of the route.
  • Narrow pedal creates stiffer coverage transitions.
  • Below-average body control and reactive agility.
  • Lacks discipline and patience when defending the run.
  • Reckless pursuit leverage creates open cutback lanes.
  • Must come to balance and drop his entry point as an NFL tackler.

The Draft Network Draft Profile

Xavier Watts, SAF, Notre Dame

Size:

Height: 5116

Weight: 204

Arm: 31 ½”

Hand: 8 ⅝”

Accomplishments:

Midseason All-American (2024) • First-Team All-American (2023) • Bronko Nagurski Award Winner (2023)

“Xavier Watts is a highly intelligent, mature, and productive safety with experience in the box, and up top at free safety.”

Strengths: 

  • Trigger
  • Instincts
  • High-IQ player
  • Angles in space

Concerns:

  • Hips
  • Acceleration
  • Shedding
  • Arrives at contact out of control at times

Film Analysis:

Xavier Watts is a highly intelligent, mature, and productive safety with experience in the box and up top at free safety. Primarily aligns at free safety in the Notre Dame defense, but has accrued a heavy amount of work inside the box, where his instincts shine at lower depth.

From depth, Watts does a nice job of remaining patient with his footwork in coverage. From watching him on certain concepts and tendencies, you can tell film study plays a major part in his success. Watts is consistently in the right spot to make plays and has shown on multiple occasions to beat blockers and ball-carriers to the spot. Either on tosses or screens, Watts wastes little time getting to the spot to make plays. Needs work in chopping his feet at contact, but his ability to identify plays early is a trait that will translate.

Watts is not an elite athlete but runs well and is not afraid to mix it up against larger or faster athletes in space. Has experience covering tight ends, running backs, and slot wideouts in man and zone. Twitchier, more sudden route-runners can give him issues, but an understanding of leverage and coverage principles is highly evident. He has a smooth backpedal and is quick to trigger and close distance in space (Georgia Tech). Very instinctual and reactive athlete in coverage that wastes little movement to pursue the football.

Watts shines in the box when asked to ID and attack in the ground game where, at times, he’s playing at a different speed than those around him. He trusts his eyes and reads plays rapidly. Good speed to get to the spot but would like to see a little bit more pop in his pads as a downhill safety—he’s a sound tackler, however. He’s a competitive athlete who projects as a multi-phase contributor. Alignment versatility is also a positive in his prospect profile.

Concerns remain about his acceleration from depth, and occasional tight hips when attacked vertically. Watts runs well but is best when the football is in front of him instead of having to flip and read WRs with the ball in the air behind him. Arriving at contact at a more controlled pace will assist in bringing ball-carriers to the ground as well. A very coachable trait.

Overall, Watts provides a high floor at the position whose versatility and experience showcase each and every week. Teams in need of a hybrid safety with excellent instincts and coverage ability to stymie the middle of the field will prioritize Watts. Additionally, his knack for sniffing out concepts to the fringe areas will allow him to earn snaps early in his career. If there are ‘A traits’ in his game, it’s his football IQ, awareness, and instincts toward the line of scrimmage.

Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Winning Starter

Written By: Ryan Fowler