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Newsstand: Two Notre Dame defensive backs make Thorpe Award watch list

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble08/01/24jacksoble56
Benjamin Morrison
Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20) in a game against USC on Oct. 14, 2023. (Chad Weaver/Blue & Gold)

Notre Dame junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison and graduate student safety Xavier Watts were two of the 42 players named to the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list. The Thorpe Award is given annually to the nation’s top defensive back.

Only two Fighting Irish players have been finalists for the award: Todd Lyght in 1989 and Bobby Taylor in 1993. Morrison was a semifinalist last season, when he led the team with 10 pass breakups and picked off 3 passes — giving him 9 so far in his two-year career.

Morrison missed the vast majority of spring practice with offseason shoulder surgery, but he’s expected to be fully cleared by the time the Irish travel to College Station, Texas to face Texas A&M on Aug. 31.

Watts won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player in 2023, intercepting 7 passes in his first full season as a starter.

Watts was also named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list ahead of his final season in South Bend. Other Irish players on preseason watch lists include graduate student defensive tackle Howard Cross III (Nagurski, Outland — best lineman), graduate student defensive tackle Rylie Mills (Outland) and senior quarterback Riley Leonard (Maxwell — best player in college football).

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Quote of the day

“Everybody will be clear by the time we get to game week. I just don’t know exactly when it’s going to be over these next upcoming weeks. But they’ll be good to go.”

— Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman on Morrison, senior tight end Mitchell Evans and graduate student tight end Kevin Bauman

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