Graduate student safety Xavier Watts has been a longstanding key force for the Irish, consistently building on his momentum this season. Last year, Watts stood out as a powerhouse in the Irish defense, starting all 13 games and leading the nation with seven interceptions. He recorded 52 tackles, 30 of them solo, earning All-American honors and winning the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's top defensive player.
Though he burst on the scene last year to win plenty of accolades, he has stepped up as the anchor of a secondary that ranks among the nation’s best. Aside from significant roster turnover last season, adding on the loss of junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison, the transfer portal entrance of junior cornerback Jaden Mickey and the young talent of sophomore Christian Gray and freshman Leonard Moore, his steady leadership could not be more crucial for the Irish defense.
“I think my biggest thing I’m most proud of this season, so far, is probably my communication,” Watts explained at post-practice media availability on Nov. 5. “Being able to relay the message to the rest of the defense and moving around guys if they’re not in the right spot. Then obviously kind of just my technical, you know footwork, getting in and out of my breaks. Overall I feel like I’m playing better football than last year.”
The reigning defensive player of the year got some attention in the “Here Come the Irish” Notre Dame football documentary released in early August, where he discussed his paralyzed father’s influence on his gameplay and overall mentality about perseverance and hard work.
With the College Football Playoff's first official rankings now released and postseason hopes high, it would be easy for the Irish to get caught up in the noise. But when asked about how the rankings impact the team’s mindset, Watts shared his approach to keeping things grounded.
“We reinforce that there’s still a lot of football left to be played — still four to five weeks left of football — so I mean, it’s kind of just focusing on us,” Watts said on Tuesday. “Trying not to pay attention to that, I mean obviously you‘re going to see stuff like that, but not paying attention to it too much. We are just focusing on winning out the rest of the season, and the rest will play out on its own.”
So far this year, Watts has had 31 total tackles (19 solo), one forced fumble and three interceptions for 34 yards for the Irish. He has been essential in breaking up passes on crucial third-down moments, seeming to find the ball in his hands every game and delivering with standout performances. This weekend, Watts will be key to beating up an already downtrodden Florida State defense to ensure an Irish victory at home and continue leading the march to the CFP.
