Three-fifths of Atlanta’s class is now under contract.
The Atlanta Falcons have three draft picks signed, which means a majority of their class is under contract in early May. Two to go.
On Friday, the Falcons announced the signings for third round pick Xavier Watts, fourth round selection Billy Bowman, and seventh rounder Jack Nelson. Only first round picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. remain unsigned.
Making it official ✍️ pic.twitter.com/ZHFi7ZOMDc
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 9, 2025
Watts is a ball-hawking, super savvy safety expected to contend for a starting role next to Jessie Bates, and he’s the early favorite to win out over DeMarcco Hellams and free agent signing Jordan Fuller. Bowman, primarily a safety in college, will compete for nickel duties with Dee Alford, Clark Phillips, and Natrone Brooks, among others. He’s also a playmaker with a reputation for aggressive, physical play, which should make him a nice fit for a defense that wants to offer all three of those qualities on all three levels.
Nelson is a developmental tackle who the team would like to become their swing tackle of the future, if not a future starter. We keep expectations relatively modest for seventh round picks around here, though, so for now we’ll pencil him in as the last man on the roster on the offensive line in 2025.
It’s good to see these guys under contract with rookie minicamp getting underway today. We’ll see if we get any further news out of camp!