Sporting News released its 2024 Preseason All-America team this past week, and it features five Notre Dame players. Graduate defensive lineman Howard Cross III, junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison, and senior safety Xavier Watts are named to the first team. Senior tight end Mitchell Evans and graduate kick returner Jayden Harrison earned second-team honors. Watts was named to the first-team Sporting News All-America team in 2023. Cross was named to the Sporting News second team last season.
Five Notre Dame Players Make Sporting News All-America Team
Xavier Watts
A 2023 unanimous All-American and Nagurski Trophy winner, Watts is certain to be among the top defensive backs in college football again this season. His preseason accolades have been many. He is named to watch lists for the Bednarik Award, the Nagurski Trophy, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. He tied for the national lead with seven interceptions last year.
Watts started all 13 games for the Irish in 2023. He finished with 52 tackles, 30 solo, three tackles for loss, and added four pass breakups. Additionally, he forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble, returning it for a touchdown. Watts’ seven interceptions led to 33 Notre Dame points.
Howard Cross
Cross racked up 66 tackles in 2023, which ranked second among all Power 5 front-four defensive linemen. Like Watts, Cross has seen his name appear on numerous preseason watch lists. He has earned selections for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Outland Trophy, and the Nagurski Trophy.
Among his breakout games last season, Cross led the Irish with 13 tackles in the come-from-behind win against Duke on Sept. 30. He also forced two fumbles in that game, including the game clincher with less than :30 remaining. For his performance, he was named National Defensive Player of the Week from Walter Camp, the Bednarik Award, and the Senior Bowl.
Benjamin Morrison
Morrison led the Irish with 10 pass breakups in 2023. He recorded 31 tackles, 25 solo, and he intercepted three passes. In 2022, Morrison tied a single-game record with three interceptions in a win over Boston College. He appeared in all 13 games that year, starting nine, and finished the year with 33 tackles. The shutdown cornerback also made the Preseason Watch List for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and Bednarik Award.
All-American recognition is nothing new to Morrison. In 2022, he was named College Football News Freshman All-American, Pro Football Focus Freshman All-American, The Athletic True Freshman All-American, and the 247 Sports True Freshman All-American.
Jayden Harrison
A first-team All-American as a kick returner at Marshall in 2023, Harrison finished second in the country with a 30.7 yards-per-return average. The transfer portal acquisition for the Irish tied for the FBS lead with two kick return touchdowns a season ago.
All told in his collegiate career thus far, Harrison has returned 60 kickoffs for 1,522 yards (25.4 yards per return average). He has returned three for touchdowns. As a receiver, he has caught 71 passes for 779 yards and four scores. In 2023, Harrison played in all 13 games for Marshall. He hauled in 28 receptions for 410 yards (14.6 yards per reception) and a touchdown. In addition to his nod from Sporting News, Harrison is also on the watch lists for the Jet Award and the Hornung Award in 2024.
Mitchell Evans
Despite suffering a torn ACL during the 2023 season, Evans enjoyed a banner year when he was on the field. He played in eight games for the Irish as a junior, starting in seven of them. He ended the season as the team’s top receiving target, averaging 52.8 yards per game. Evans caught 29 passes for 422 yards and a touchdown, averaging 14.6 yards per catch. Fully recovered from his injury and healthy in fall camp, Evans will play a leading role in Notre Dame’s offense this year. Evans is also on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List along with teammate Kris Mitchell.
