Four Notre Dame football players named preseason Walter Camp All-Americans
Four Notre Dame players were named to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America teams this week. Three of them were the usual suspects — the same players who made the Fighting Irish a force on the defensive side of the ball in 2023.
Howard Cross III. Xavier Watts. Benjamin Morrison.
Cross and Watts were named Walter Camp Preseason First Team All-Americans. Morrison appeared on the second team with Notre Dame wide receiver Jayden Harrison, a Marshall transfer who was an All-American kick returner last fall. He showed up on this year’s Walter Camp Second Team in the same capacity.
Cross was in the top five of all FBS defensive linemen with his 66 total tackles last year. Watts tied for the NCAA lead in interceptions with 7. Morrison, a junior, is considered one of the best cornerbacks in college football and should have a good shot of being a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2025. Harrison was one of five players in the country with multiple kick return touchdowns.
Here’s the full list of 2024 Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans.
2024 Walter Camp Preseason All-America Teams
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receiver: Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)
Tight End: Colston Loveland (Michigan)
Offensive Line: Clay Webb (Jacksonville State) #, Tate Ratledge (Georgia), Tyler Booker (Alabama), Will Campbell (LSU)
Center: Cooper Mays (Tennessee)
Quarterback: Carson Beck (Georgia)
Running Back: Ollie Gordon II (Oklahoma State)*, Omarion Hampton (North Carolina)*
Placekicker: Graham Nicholson (Alabama)*
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Defensive Line: James Pearce, Jr. (Tennessee), Howard Cross III (Notre Dame) #, Ashton Gillotte (Louisville) #, Tyleik Williams (Ohio State) #
Linebacker: Jay Higgins (Iowa) #, Danny Stutsman (Oklahoma) #, Jason Henderson (Old Dominion)*
Defensive Back: Xavier Watts (Notre Dame)*, Travis Hunter Jr. (Colorado), Malaki Starks (Georgia)*, Will Johnson (Michigan)
Punter: Alex Mastromanno (Florida State)
Kick Returner: Zachariah Branch (USC)#
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SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receiver: Ricky White III (UNLV), Luthur Burden III (Missouri)
Tight End: Bryson Nesbit (North Carolina)
Offensive Line: Luke Kandra (Cincinnati) #, Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas), Ajani Cornelius (Oregon), Wyatt Milum (West Virginia)
Center: Parker Brailsford (Alabama)
Quarterback: Quinn Ewers (Texas)
Running Back: Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State), Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech)
Placekicker: Andrew Borregales (Miami)
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Defensive Line: Peter Woods (Clemson), Mason Graham (Michigan), Deone Walker (Kentucky), Landon Jackson (Arkansas)
Linebacker: Harold Perkins (LSU), Barrett Carter (Clemson), Abdul Cater (Penn State)
Defensive Back: Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Dillon Thieneman (Purdue), Denzel Burke (Ohio State) #, Caleb Downs (Ohio State)
Punter: James Burnip (Alabama)
Kick Returner: Jayden Harrison (Notre Dame)*
* – 2023 First Team Walter Camp All-America selection
# – 2023 Second Team Walter Camp All-America selection
