2023 Bronko Nagurski Award winner Xavier Watts leads four Notre Dame players on the Walter Camp Preseason All-American team.
Watts’s season was nothing short of extraordinary. He led the nation in interceptions with seven and achieved the rare feat of being the fifth player in the last five seasons to have back-to-back multiple interception games.
Watts was national Defensive Player of the Week twice in the 2023 season.
Howard Cross III is joining Watts on the first team. Cross III was a Bednarik Award semifinalist. His 64 tackles this season tie him for the lead among all Power 5 defensive linemen.
Benjamin Morrison and Jayden Harrison earned preseason second-team honors.
Morrison was a Thorpe Award semifinalist, while Harrison first-team All-American as a kick returner at Marshall last season,
