Notre Dame All-American Xavier Watts Is Returning To Notre Dame In 2024
The Notre Dame offseason just got way better as All-American safety Xavier Watts announced his plans to return to the program for a fifth and final season with the program. Watts joins fellow All-American Howard Cross III as well as defensive tackle Rylie Mills and linebacker Jack Kiser as veteran defenders who decided to return to the program for one more season in 2024. Getting Watts back is the biggest decision yet for a number of reasons. Not only was Watts the team’s best defensive player in 2023, the safety position would be very thin had he departed. His return means the Irish have a veteran leader and big time playmaker to groom the young talent before his ultimate departure following the 2024 season. It also means the Irish will once again have a shot to put the nation’s best secondary on the field, as he will be joined by another All-American caliber player in cornerback Benjamin Morrison.
After spending the previous season as a rotation player at safety, Watts became a breakout star for Notre Dame in 2023, racking 47 tackles this season, and he added 2.5 tackles for loss and four pass breakups. Where he made his biggest impact was forcing turnovers, with the Nebraska native leading the nation with seven interceptions, and he also returned a fumble for a touchdown. In fact, all eight of his turnovers ended with scores, either directly from him or from the Irish offense. Five of his interceptions resulted in an immediate touchdown from the Notre Dame offense on the ensuing drive, and two more resulted in field goals for the Irish.
Watts had his national breakout performance against USC when he intercepted reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams twice, setting up touchdowns on both plays. He ended the scoring in that game with a touchdown of his own as he returned a fumble for a touchdown in the 48-20 win. Following the regular season, Watts won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s best defensive player and then earned unanimous All-America honors.
’s been a big 24 hours for Xavier Watts and the Notre Dame program as the Fighting Irish cruised in the Sun Bowl and then the All-American safety announced he would return to the program for the 2024 season.
Watts won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which goes to the nation’s best defensive player after leading college football with seven interceptions this fall. The Nebraska native also made 52 tackles, three tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
The USC game in October put Watts on the national scene as he picked off Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams twice, forced a fumble and then recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the blowout win over the Trojans.
A former four-star receiver, Watts made the transition to safety while at Notre Dame and has never looked back.
“Two years ago, he showed traits when we moved him of being able to play the safety position,” stated head coach Marcus Freeman earlier this year. “The ability to track the ball, the ability to track ball carriers and make plays in space, the ability to beat blocks.
“There’s so much more that goes into becoming a complete player than just the traits. What you’re seeing now is obviously with his study habits, with his practice habits, learning the details of the position is what is giving him a chance to truly have success to be in the right position.
That’s what you’re seeing with Xavier. He’s continuing to improve at the fundamentals of the position. He’s always had ability and talent but there’s another aspect of actually being really effective at the position that he’s continuing to grow at and play at an extremely high level right now.”
Watts, who still has two years of eligibility, has also tallied 105 tackles, five tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, seven interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery over the last three years on defense.
Notre Dame will open the 2024 season in College Station against Texas A&M
