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4h ago

Falcons Name Rookies Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. Starters in Secondary

Bijan Robinson says the team is embracing a week-by-week focus with Michael Penix Jr. set to start.

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Overview

  • Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed via the team's announcement that Xavier Watts will start alongside Jessie Bates and Billy Bowman Jr. will open at nickel.
  • The decisions reflect a win-now push under Morris and GM Terry Fontenot to end a playoff drought that dates to 2017.
  • Robinson, coming off a third-place NFL rushing finish in 2024, shared the team post announcing the rookies and captioned it “The Debut.”
  • Fontenot said the Falcons were stunned Watts was available at No. 96 and praised Bowman after selecting him at No. 118.
  • Michael Penix Jr. will begin 2025 as the starting quarterback with Kirk Cousins on the bench, supported by Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts.