Notre Dame senior defensive back Xavier Watts and senior defensive tackle Howard Cross III have been named as first-team Preseason All-Americans. Junior defensive back Benjamin Morrison and senior kick returner Jayden Harrison earned second-team honors when the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced its 2024 Preseason All-America teams early this week.
Watts and Harrison were first-team Walter Camp All-Americans in 2023. Cross was named to the second team a season ago. It is a credit to the Notre Dame stars to have earned the prestigious recognition as Preseason All-Americans. Watts, Cross, Morrison, and Harrison have all demonstrated their skills and leadership on the field in recent seasons. Watts, Cross, Morrison, and Harrison have all demonstrated their skills and leadership on the field in recent seasons. The All-American first-team accolades for Xavier Watts and Howard Cross III further solidify their status as key players for the Fighting Irish in the upcoming 2024 campaign.
Xavier Watts
The 2023 Bronko Nagurski Award winner as the nation’s best defensive player, Watts led the nation in interceptions last season with seven. He established himself as one of the best playmaking safeties in the nation. In 2023, he became the first Notre Dame player to post back-to-back games with multiple interceptions. Watts also became the first Notre Dame player to intercept a pass in three straight games last year.
Watts dominated last year’s revenge game against USC. He racked up seven tackles and intercepted Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams two times. He also recovered a different fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Watts followed up the stellar performance against USC with two more interceptions in a victory over Pittsburgh. All seven of Watts’ interceptions last year led directly to points for the Irish, including five touchdowns.
Howard Cross III
A Bednarik Award semifinalist, Cross is among the premier defensive players in the country. He played an integral role in the Irish’s come-from-behind victory over Duke last September, recording 13 tackles. He also forced a pair of fumbles, including the game-clinching fumble with just seconds remaining in the game. For his efforts that week, he claimed national Defensive Player of the Week honors from Walter Camp, the Bednarik Award, and the Senior Bowl.
There were other standout performances. Cross III piled up seven tackles against Louisville, seven more at Clemson, and recorded nine tackles in the home finale against Wake Forest. His 64 tackles last year tied him for the lead among all Power 5 defensive linemen. He is one of just eight FBS front-four defensive players to post 60 or more tackles on the year.
Benjamin Morrison
Benjamin Morrison was a Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2023. He is among the most experienced and talented cornerbacks returning to the FBS in 2024. Over the past two seasons, Morrison has intercepted nine passes, including six during the 2022 season. He has added 64 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. A unanimous Freshman All-American in 2022, Morrison led the Irish in 2023 with 10 pass breakups and he collected three more interceptions.
Jayden Harrison
Harrison was a first-team All-American as a kick returner at Marshall last season. He finished second in the country with a 30.7 yards-per-return average. He tied for the FBS lead with two kick return touchdowns in 2023.
All told, Harrison has returned 60 kickoffs for 1,522 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, he has caught 71 passes for 779 yards and four touchdowns.
