Notre Dame leads Sporting News preseason All-America defensive first team with three honorees
When the Sporting News released its 2024 preseason college football All-America team on Wednesday, no team had more first-team defenders recognized than Notre Dame.
The Sporting News — one of five official postseason selectors used to determine consensus and unanimous All-American — named Fighting Irish defensive tackle Howard Cross III, cornerback Benjamin Morrison and safety Xavier Watts to their preseason first team.
At the end of last season, the Sporting News helped Watts achieve unanimous All-America status. They named him to their postseason All-America first-team. Cross earned a spot on the second team in 2023.
The Irish also had two preseason second-teamers — tight end Mitchell Evans and kick returner Jayden Harrison.
Only Michigan had as many preseason first-teamers acknowledged as Notre Dame. On the other hand, Ohio State (5) was the only school with more non-specialists noted than the Irish. Alabama and Georgia had four players each, while Oregon and Texas had three.
The last time Notre Dame had at least three postseason Sporting News first-team All-Americans was in 1993, when they had four. Defensive tackle Bryant Young, offensive tackle Aaron Taylor and defensive backs Jeff Burris and Bobby Taylor were all first-teamers that season.
Who made the Sporting News preseason All-America teams?
First-team offense
QB: Carson Beck, Georgia
RB: Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
RB: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
WR: Luther Burden III, Missouri
WR: Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
WR: Tez Johnson, Oregon
TE: Colston Loveland, Michigan
T: Will Campbell, LSU
G: Tate Ratledge, Georgia
C: Parker Brailsford, Alabama
G: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
T: Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
AP: Travis Hunter, Colorado
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First-team defense
DL: Mason Graham, Michigan
DL: Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
DL: DL: Deone Walker, Kentucky
EDGE: James Pearce, Tennessee
EDGE: Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
LB: Jay Higgins, Iowa
LB: Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
CB: Will Johnson, Michigan
CB: Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
S: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
S: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
DB: Tacario Davis, Arizona
Second-team specialists
K: Graham Nicholson, Alabama
P: Alex Mastromanno, Florida State
KR: Barion Brown, Kentucky
PR: Zachariah Branch, USC
Second-team offense
QB: Quinn Ewers, Texas
RB: Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
RB: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
WR: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
WR: Ricky White, UNLV
WR: Tre Harris, Ole Miss
TE: Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
T: Earnest Greene, Georgia
G: Tyler Booker, Alabama
C: Cooper Mays, Tennessee
G: Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
T: Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
AP: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Second-team defense
DL: Tyleik Wiliams, Ohio State
DL: Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
DL: Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
LB: Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
LB: Harold Perkins, LSU
LB: Barrett Carter, Clemson
LB: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
CB: Denzel Burke, Ohio State
CB: Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon
S: Malaki Starks, Georgia
S: Dillon Thieneman, Purdue
DB: Malachi Moore, Alabama
Second-team specialists
K: Bert Auburn, Texas
P: Jeremy Crenshaw, Florida
KR: Jayden Harrison, Notre Dame
PR: Tucker Holloway, Virginia Tech
