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Eight Notre Dame football players invited to NFL Scouting Combine

IMG_7504by:Jack Soble•about 10 hours•

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Benjamin Morrison
Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison. (Mike Miller/Blue & Gold)

Eight Notre Dame football players were invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, the league announced Thursday morning.

The players are as follows: quarterback Riley Leonard, wide receiver Beaux Collins, tight end Mitchell Evans, defensive tackles Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills, linebacker Jack Kiser, cornerback Benjamin Morrison and safety Xavier Watts. They’ll travel to Indianapolis on dates ranging from Feb. 24-March 3.

Notable absences from the list include defensive end RJ Oben, who participated in the Senior Bowl, and Jordan Clark, who participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Of the eight prospects Notre Dame had at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, seven got drafted, led by offensive tackle Joe Alt at No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers. The lone exception was quarterback Sam Hartman, who went undrafted but signed and spent the 2024 season with the Washington Commanders.

Watts and Morrison are considered Notre Dame’s top-two draft prospects this season, in either order. The star defensive backs are currently expected to be drafted in the second round, with the former landing at No. 46 and the latter at No. 55 on The Athletic NFL Draft writer Dane Brugler’s top-100 big board.

Watts was a Day 3 pick entering the 2024 season, but he had a monster year. He intercepted 6 more passes to bring his career total to 13, and he improved pretty much everything else about his game.

“After toiling on offense when he arrived in South Bend, Ind., Watts moved to rover linebacker before finding his home at free safety,” Brugler wrote. “There, he became one of the most decorated players in Irish history. He collected 13 interceptions (and allowed zero touchdown catches) over the last two seasons and became Notre Dame’s first two-time consensus All-American since 1993.

“The size-speed traits might be average, but Watts is consistently in the right place at the right time.”

Morrison, on the other hand, was a unanimous projected first-round pick over the summer. However, medical concerns after two surgeries to his shoulder and his hip in the past calendar year have hurt his draft stock.

His tape remains first-round caliber.

“Regardless of the coverage, Morrison has terrific foot quickness, body fluidity and technique to mirror early and regain phase late, which allows him make plays on the football without panic,” Brugler wrote. “He shows a natural feel in coverage and understands play indicators, although play-strength and durability concerns will follow him to the next level.

“As he’s back from his second hip surgery, Morrison’s medicals will be critical for his final grade.”

Leonard, Evans, Cross, Mills and Kiser are expected to be Day 3 picks, and Collins could sneak into the back of the draft as well.

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