Bills named 'favorite team fit' for potential first round safety

If Buffalo wants to draft a safety in Round 1, Notre Dame's star could be a perfect fit

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) intercepts a pass in front of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Abdul Janneh Jr. (4) in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

ESPN analyst, and former Buffalo Bills safety, Matt Bowen named his 20 favorite team fits for some of the best prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.

One combination included the Bills taking Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts at No. 30 overall.

The 6-foot, 204 pound safety was the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner and a consensus All-American in 2023 and 2024.

Bowen explains, "The Bills need to add speed and playmaking ability to their defensive structure, and Watts fits that profile. A safety with range and ball skills, Watts had 13 interceptions over his final two seasons at Notre Dame. He can play in the post to track the ball and close the middle of the field. Plus, he could overlap throws to the boundary or jump in-breakers from split-field alignments in the Bills' foundational zone schemes."

RELATED: Full list of Bills' 10 draft picks, including three in Top 62

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) stiff arms Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) in the first half in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Watts, along with Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop, would give Buffalo's defense a solid trio of safeties to utilize, with backup options like Damar Hamlin and Darrick Forrest providing good depth for Sean McDermott and Bobby Babich's defense.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) tackles Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) in the second half in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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