Watch list roundup: Which Notre Dame football players could win major awards?

“Watch list season” — at least as far as the National College Football Awards Association is concerned — is over. When the dust cleared, Notre Dame landed players on 15 major award watch lists entering the 2024 season.

Here’s a full accounting of the Fighting Irish on every national watch list, ordered alphabetically by the name of the award. The descriptions of each honor were taken directly from Notre Dame’s official press releases.

Bednarik Award: Howard Cross III, Benjamin Morrison, Xavier Watts

“Presented annually to the [most] outstanding defensive player in college football.”

Only five other schools have three or more players on the Bednarik watch list.

Biletnikoff Award: Mitchell Evans, Kris Mitchell

“Annually recognizes the college football season’s most outstanding FBS receiver; any player, regardless of position.”

He did it at the Group of Five level, but Mitchell is by far Notre Dame’s best wideout based on 2023 production. He totaled 64 catches for 1,118 yards last season with Florida International.

Bronko Nagurski Trophy: Xavier Watts, Howard Cross III

“Recognizes the national defensive player of the year in college football.”

Watts is the defending Nagurski Trophy winner, tying for the national lead in interceptions with 7 in 2023.

Butkus Award: Jack Kiser

“Honors the top linebacker in college football.”

Going by Pro Football Focus data, Kiser might be the Butkus favorite. His PFF defense grade of 90.3 is tops among all returning linebackers.

Comeback Player of the Year: Riley Leonard, Kevin Bauman

“Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness or other circumstances.”

Leonard missed most of the second half of 2023 with ankle and toe injuries. Bauman has not played since Sept. 17, 2022, with multiple season-ending injuries. He might factor into the tight end rotation, though.

Davey O’Brien Award: Riley Leonard

“Presented annually to the nation’s best quarterback.”

LSU’s Jayden Daniels won this award last season — as well as the Heisman Trophy — under the leadership of Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.

Doak Walker Award: Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price

“Annually honors the nation’s most outstanding running back.”

Love and Price will share the workload in the Notre Dame backfield this season.

Jim Thorpe Award: Benjamin Morrison, Xavier Watts

“Recognizes the nation’s top defensive back.”

Morrison was a Thorpe semifinalist in 2023.

Lott IMPACT Trophy: Howard Cross III, Benjamin Morrison

“Awarded to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, a player who has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field.”

Cross was a quarterfinalist for this honor last season, and he won Lott Trophy Player of the Week for his dominant outing Sept. 30 at Duke.

Mackey Award: Mitchell Evans

“Annually recognizes the college football season’s most outstanding tight end.”

Evans is a real contender for the Mackey Award. The only tight end ranked above him consistently is Michigan’s Colston Loveland, and the Wolverines enter 2024 with uncertainty at quarterback.

Maxwell Award: Riley Leonard

“Presented to the best player in college football.”

Much like the Heisman Trophy, this has become a quarterback award (with rare exceptions, like Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in 2020).

Outland Trophy: Howard Cross III, Rylie Mills

“Awarded to the best interior lineman in college football.”

Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt was a finalist for this award in 2023, but it went to Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat.

Paul Hornung Award: Jayden Harrison

“Given annually to the most versatile player in college football.”

Harrison is an All-American kickoff returner who should factor into Notre Dame’s offense this season as well.

Walter Camp Player of the Year: Howard Cross III, Riley Leonard, Xavier Watts

Self-explanatory

This award is slightly less dominated by quarterbacks than the Maxwell or Heisman, but signal-callers have still won eight of the past 11. The only defensive player to win it in the 21st century is Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o in 2012.

Wuerffel Trophy: Jack Kiser

“College football’s premier award for community service.”

Per Notre Dame Athletics, Kiser served as the football team lead for Fighting Irish Fight for Life — which pairs local pediatric patients with Notre Dame teams — from Fall 2020-Spring 2023. He has also been involved with Uplifting Athletes and the Ronald McDonald House, and he helped low-income South Bend families with their tax returns this past spring.