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Newsstand: Recapping Notre Dame players who made initial preseason All-America lists

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•08/15/24•

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Wednesday was a busy day for Notre Dame players landing on preseason All-America lists. Sporting News, ESPN, USA Today and The Athletic all released preseason All-America teams, and the Fighting Irish had at least one player appear on all of them.

Here’s the rundown of Irish nominees …

Sporting News

First Team
• Graduate student defensive tackle Howard Cross III
• Graduate student safety Xavier Watts
• Junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison
Second Team
• Senior tight end Mitchell Evans
• Graduate student kick returner Jayden Harrison

ESPN

First Team
• Morrison
Second Team
• Watts

USA TODAY

First Team
• Cross
Second Team
• Morrison
• Watts
• Harrison

The Athletic

First Team
• Morrison
Second Team
• Cross
• Watts

Top takeaways? The Irish are going to be very good on the defensive side of the ball, again, if the top-end players live up to their lofty expectations, and Harrison is one heck of a kick returner. He ranked second nationally in yards per return at Marshall in 2023.

Notre Dame tweets of the day

This Hard Knocks-style docuseries on Notre Dame football premiering Aug. 29 is going to be must-watch TV on Peacock for all Fighting Irish fans.

Fighting Irish senior quarterback Riley Leonard is on a watch list for yet another individual award. This one, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, goes out to the top upperclassman quarterback in college football.

Watch the middle of the Irish’s offensive line on the right side this season. It should be pretty stout with Ashton Craig at center and Billy Schrauth at right guard.

Fighting Irish quote of the day

“If there was one person I’d say I can’t be prouder of from when I got here to right now, it’s No. 3. It’s No. 3. And he’s going to have a big year.”

— Irish linebackers coach Max Bullough on junior linebacker Jaylen Sneed

Blue & Gold headlines of the day

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