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Newsstand: ESPN details NFL Draft prospects in the Indiana vs. Notre Dame game

Kyle Kellyby:Kyle Kelly•12/20/24•

ByKyleKelly

leonard (5)
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. (Photo by Mike Miller)

It’s finally game day. After about three weeks of waiting, Notre Dame and Indiana will finally square off in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Blue & Gold has extensively covered almost every storyline ahead of this week’s game. Yet, one remains: who are the NFL Draft prospects on the Fighting Irish and Hoosiers?

One of the authorities on the NFL Draft, ESPN analyst Matt Miller, identified 14. He pegged Notre Dame with nine, while Indiana has four. 

The Irish have the only projected first-round pick in cornerback Benjamin Morrison. However, where he is selected ultimately depends on how doctors view his hip during physicals. 

Miller also projected safety Xavier Watts as a third-round pick. Indiana defensive end Mikhail Kamara is the only Hoosier projected to go on either Day 1 or Day 2 (third round).

On Notre Dame’s roster, this is where Miller views the following players getting drafted: tight end Mitchell Evans (fourth), quarterback Riley Leonard (fifth), linebacker Jack Kiser (fifth), defensive lineman Howard Cross III (sixth), wide receiver Beaux Collins (sixth), safety Jordan Clark (sixth) and defensive lineman Rylie Mills (seventh). 

Miller views Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke as a fourth-round pick, defensive lineman CJ West as a sixth-round selection, and linebacker Jailin Walker and offensive tackle Trey Wedig as seventh-round prospects. 

Notre Dame Posts of the Day

J.D. Pickell hosts The Hard Count on On3. 

Legendary coach Nick Saban shared his take on the Indiana vs. Notre Dame game.

Notre Dame football shared a College Football Playoff hype video on social media. 

Notre Dame Quote of the Day

“To be with the Bengals at that time and be a part of that was just really something special. But when Notre Dame calls, you have to listen. So here we are.”

— Defensive coordinator Al Golden on his path to Notre Dame in a story authored by ESPN senior writer Andrea Adelson. 

Notre Dame Headlines of the Day

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