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Notre Dame in the NFL: Xavier Watts picks up where he left off

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble18 hours agojacksoble56
xavier watts
Former Notre Dame and current Atlanta Falcons safety Xavier Watts (31). (Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)

Throughout his final two seasons at Notre Dame, former Irish safety Xavier Watts averaged 1 interception every 2.2 games.

So far in his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, he has 1 every 2.

Watts, Notre Dame’s first two-time consensus All-American since the early 1990s, picked off Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota during the Falcons’ 34-27 win on Sunday. He did it as the Falcons’ centerfield safety with a beautiful over-the-shoulder grab.

Watts made 6 tackles in Atlanta’s Week 4 win, alongside his second career interception. His PFF defense grade through four games is a well-above-average 76.3.

Watts was significantly undervalued in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, falling to the 96th overall selection, which is late in the third round. He’s already proving the evaluators who passed on him wrong, and he’s only just begun.

Here’s how every other former Notre Dame athlete in the NFL performed in Week 4.

Joe Alt (2019-21), OT, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 21-18 loss to Giants

Alt allowed zero pressures, maintaining the fourth-highest highest season-long Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade among offensive tackles at 87.1. However, he exited after 10 snaps with a high-ankle sprain that is expected to sideline him for “several weeks,” according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Brandon Aubrey (2017-20), K, Dallas Cowboys)

Result: 40-40 tie vs. Packers

Aubrey made his lone field-goal attempt from 22 yards out.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), G, Green Bay Packers

Result: 40-40 tie vs. Cowboys

Banks missed his second game in three weeks with a groin injury.

JD Bertrand (2019-23), LB, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 34-27 win over Commanders

Bertrand played over a dozen snaps on special teams, making a tackle.

Beaux Collins (2024), WR, New York Giants

Result: 21-18 win over Chargers

Collins was not targeted.

Howard Cross III (2019-24), DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Result: 28-3 loss to Broncos

Cross was a healthy scratch.

Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Chicago Bears

Result: 25-24 win over Raiders

Daly snapped 8 times successfully, 3 on punts and 5 on kicks. He also, crucially, gave reserve cornerback Josh Blackwell a piece of information that helped him block the Raiders’ attempt at a game-winning field goal.

Mitchell Evans (2021-24), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: 42-13 loss to Patriots

Evans caught 3 passes for 23 yards on 4 targets, including his first career touchdown.

Blake Fisher (2021-23), OT, Houston Texans

Result: 26-0 win over Titans

Fisher played 5 offensive snaps and 5 more on special teams.

Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 21-18 loss to Giants

Gilman made 4 tackles and defended a pass.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints

Result: 31-19 loss to Bills

Grupe made both his field-goal attempts with a long of 54.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), C, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: 26-21 win over 49ers

Hainsey allowed zero pressures and posted a PFF pass-blocking grade of 84.0.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 37-20 loss to Chiefs

Hamilton made 8 tackles and registered a quarterback hit.

Thomas Harper (2023), S, Detroit Lions

Result: 34-10 win over Browns

Harper played 10 snaps on special teams.

Cam Hart (2019-23), CB, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 21-18 loss to Giants

Hart played 48 snaps off the bench, allowing 2 completions on 2 targets for 24 yards. He also made 3 tackles.

JJ Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: 42-13 loss to Patriots

Jansen snapped 8 times successfully, 5 on punts and 3 on field goals.

Javontae Jean-Baptiste (2023), DE, Washington Commanders

Result: 34-27 loss to Falcons

Jean-Baptiste made 3 tackles, 2 of which were defensive stops (tackles that constitute a failure for the offense)

Jack Kiser (2019-24), LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: 26-21 win over 49ers

Kiser made 2 tackles in his 11-snap defensive debut, but he was also credited with allowing an 8-yard touchdown pass in coverage.

Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 25-24 win over Raiders

Kmet caught 3 passes for 46 yards on 8 targets. He also committed 2 false start penalties.

Riley Leonard (2024), QB, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 27-20 loss to Rams

Leonard — the only former Notre Dame quarterback on an active NFL roster — was a healthy scratch with an “emergency third quarterback” designation (meaning he could have played if and only if the two active QBs got hurt).

Marist Liufau (2019-23), LB, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 40-40 tie vs. Packers

Liufau was credited with 3 missed tackles. He did not, however, miss this one.

Julian Love (2015-18), S, Seattle Seahawks

Result: 23-20 win over Cardinals

Love made 6 tackles and defended a pass. He also picked up 2 quarterback pressures and allowed 2 receptions for 11 yards on 4 targets in coverage.

Michael Mayer (2021-23), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: 25-24 loss to Bears

Mayer missed Week 4 with a concussion.

Nick McCloud (2020), CB, Chicago Bears

Result: 25-24 win over Raiders

McCloud allowed just 1 reception for 5 yards in coverage, and he made 4 tackles (but missed 2).

Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OT, Denver Broncos

Result: 28-3 win over Bengals

McGlinchey allowed 1 quarterback hit but still earned a 75.4 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Benjamin Morrison (2022-24), CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: 31-25 loss to Eagles

Morrison made 3 tackles and registered the first pass breakup of his young career. He was targeted 4 times, allowing only 1 reception — often guarding star wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Quenton Nelson (2014-17), G, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 27-20 loss to Rams

Nelson allowed 3 pressures, including a quarterback hit. However, he earned an 80.6 PFF run blocking grade.

Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), C, Houston Texans

Result: 26-0 win over Titans

Patterson played 5 snaps on special teams.

Spencer Shrader (2023), K, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 27-20 loss to Rams

Shrader made both his field-goal attempts with a long of 52.

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: 24-21 win over Vikings

Skowronek did not catch his lone target, but he made 3 tackles on special teams. He also did this.

Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 24-21 loss to Steelers

Smith made 3 tackles, 2 of which were defensive stops. He also allowed 1 reception on 1 target for 8 yards.

Chris Smith (2022), DT, Detroit Lions

Result: 34-10 win over Browns

Smith was a healthy scratch.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 25-24 win over Raiders

Smythe played 33 snaps, mostly as a blocking tight end. He was not targeted.

Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 37-20 loss to Chiefs

Stanley allowed 3 pressures in 16 snaps before injuring his ankle. His status for Week 5 is in question.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 37-20 win over Ravens

Tillery posted a sack.

Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 37-20 win over Ravens

Tranquill made 7 tackles and recovered a fumble.

Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: 42-13 loss to Patriots

Tremble caught 5 passes on 8 targets, both of which tie his career high. He totaled 42 receiving yards, including a 7-yard touchdown.

Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams

Result: 27-20 win over Colts

Williams carried 13 times for 77 yards — good for a season-high 5.9 yards per attempt — and caught 3 passes for 17 yards.

Brock Wright (2017-20), TE, Detroit Lions

Result: 34-10 win over Browns

Wright played 24 snaps, mostly as a blocking tight end. He was not targeted.

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

The Saints re-signed Austin to their practice squad after elevating him to the active roster in Week 3.

Former Notre Dame players on injured reserve