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Falcons traded up with the Eagles to select Notre Dame S Xavier Watts with the No. 96 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
One of the most decorated defenders in Notre Dame history, Watts (6’0/204) enters the 2025 NFL Draft with a résumé stacked with production and accolades. A converted wide receiver who initially bounced around positions before finding his home at free safety, Watts earned back-to-back first-team AP All-American honors and captured the 2023 Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defender. Over the last two seasons, he racked up 13 interceptions, allowed zero touchdowns in coverage, and was a driving force behind a top-tier Irish defense. Watts’ tape showcases his elite football IQ and anticipatory skills. He thrives in zone-heavy alignments where his ability to read the quarterback and jump routes stands out. His 2024 PFF coverage grade of 89.5 ranks among the best in the class, and his 6 interceptions last season are no fluke, as Watts has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time. He’s a quick-trigger player who sees things unfold before they happen, and his ability to range from deep or buzz underneath makes him scheme-versatile. However, the athletic profile gives pause. At 5’11”, 204 with a 4.58 forty and a middling 5.79 RAS, he’s a below-average tester with limited burst and twitch. The lack of agility testing only adds uncertainty and he tends to lose leverage in run fits. Watts projects best as a split-safety in zone-heavy systems, where his instincts and ball skills can shine without exposing his man-coverage limitations.
The Chiefs will play the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.
The Week 13 matchup will bring Patrick Mahomes and the AFC champion Chiefs to Dallas for the day’s late afternoon game. It could be a shootout if key players on both sides are healthy. Dak Prescott heads into the season with George Pickens as a legit WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb, and Mahomes — who has talked this offseason about more explosive plays for the KC offense — will have Xavier Worthy, Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, and Hollywood Brown at his disposal. Mahomes has faced Dallas once in his NFL career, a Week 11 win in 2021 in which he threw for 260 scoreless yards. The hope for both the league and fantasy managers is that the Cowboys are still in postseason contention by the end of November.
J.P. Crawford singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th as the Mariners edged the Yankees 2-1 on Tuesday.
Crawford was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts before his liner to left barely dropped into fair territory and plated the automatic runner in the 11th. It gave him his first RBI in nine games. He’s currently hitting .271/.378/.364 for the season.
Bryan Woo blanked the Yankees for 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision Tuesday.
Woo has come up big for the Mariners in pitching at least six innings every time out this season and going 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA. The 1-0 lead he left with tonight didn’t hold up, but the Mariners did prevail in extra innings to move to 6-2 in Woo’s starts. He’ll face the White Sox next time out.
Andrés Muñoz was charged with a blown save after giving up an unearned run in the ninth Tuesday against the Yankees.
Muñoz created his own trouble by hitting Paul Goldschmidt to start the ninth, but that was the only mistake he made as a pair of grounders went on to score pinch-runner Pablo Reyes. Muñoz still hasn’t given up an earned run this season.
Max Fried allowed one run over five innings before being lifted against the Mariners on Tuesday.
Fried needed 91 pitches to get his 15 outs, so he didn’t come back out for the sixth. Still, he was effective in allowing four hits and striking out five. He’ll take a 1.11 ERA into his next start, which will likely come Sunday against the Mets.
Devin Williams pitched a perfect 10th in a tie game Tuesday against the Mariners.
Williams followed Luke Weaver, who worked flawless eighth and ninth innings before the game went to extras. It’s Williams’ third straight scoreless appearance and sixth in seven games since he was pulled from the closer’s role. Weaver hasn’t had any issues, either, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Williams get a save chance sometime soon.