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Rookie Radar: How the Falcons’ 2025 class is shaping the defense through four weeks

The Atlanta Falcons didn’t just draft for depth in 2025 -- they drafted for identity.

Four weeks in, their top defensive rookies are already carving out roles that reflect why they were selected in the first place. From the back end with Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. to the pass-rushing duo of James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, the class has injected speed, disruption, and urgency into a defense trying to evolve under Raheem Morris and Jeff Ulbrich.

Xavier Watts: Early Playmaking on the Back End

Watts has wasted little time proving he belongs.