Newsstand: Recapping Notre Dame players who made initial preseason All-America lists
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.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Dylan Raiola injury
Nebraska QB will play vs. USC
- 2
Elko pokes at Kiffin
A&M coach jokes over kick times
- 3New
SEC changes course
Alcohol sales at SEC Championship Game
- 4
Bryce Underwood
Michigan prepared to offer No. 1 recruit $10.5M over 4 years
- 5Trending
Dan Lanning
Oregon coach getting NFL buzz
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
- Former Notre Dame football player Cierre Wood sentenced to life in prison
- How top-100 OL prospect Tyler Merrill became a Notre Dame football-level recruiting target
- In-state safety recruit Brandon Logan discusses decision to flip to Notre Dame football
- Notre Dame LB commit selected to play in postseason all-star game
- ‘He’s pushing the ceiling’: How Jack Kiser ties Notre Dame linebacker room together
- Fighting Irish men’s basketball completes 3-0 exhibition trip in Spain
- Lucky Charms: Fighting Irish trending with 2026 four-star OL?
- Why top 100 2026 WR recruit Jordon Gidron was ‘excited’ about adding Notre Dame football offer
