Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman just let their ship sink into the shore, and it’s not easy to cope with the memory of a heartbreaking college football final loss. Of course, they will head to another flabbergasting season with the runner-up crown on their head, but it’s still haunting. The only way it can evaporate is if Freeman, the unforeseen magician of the program, can find a way to mount a similar or even better season next year and not miss the bull’s eye at the end. But doubt looms here; they have to do it without their top-tier safety, Xavier Watts.
At 203 lbs, Watts has been a pivot behind the solid Irish defense, which was one of the best in the nation in 2024. Can Freeman be able to fill up the shoes of the Nebraska kid? While it’s too early to answer that question, it’s certain that it won’t be an easy task.
Digging it out further, insider Bryan Driskel noted, ”When you look at Xavier Watts, it’s not just about like we’re not sitting, they having like, you know, a moneyball conversation where we’ve got to find a way to replace the 82 tackles, three and a half tackles for loss, 10 pass breakups, six interceptions, and you know, the one forced fumble, the one fumble recovery. We’ve got to find a way to replace that type of production.”
Xavier’s production has been elite. While Driskel mainly focused on these 2024 numbers, his 4-year period at the Fighting Irish has been extraordinary. Each year, he has grown, and that is visible in his production. For instance, he had 15 tackles in his freshman year. That increased to 39 in his 2nd year, 52 in his 3rd year, and ended with 83 in his final year. Watts has been a prime example of consistency. However, there’s more to why Notre Dame will miss his services.
Bryan continued, ”But it’s so much deeper than the production. It’s about the leadership that you have to replace, the character he was, that he displayed, which I think fed other players off of the discipline he showed on a daily basis.”
Watts’ versatility and relentless drive have not only elevated his game but also positioned him as a potential NFL prospect. There have been a lot of skills that he projects. Watts, as a versatile team player, has been an exemplary role model for the younger players. Just recall the fantastic showdown against Louisville on September 28th when he sealed the win with a key interception, multiple pass breakups, and a game-changing play on the fourth down. But it’s his playmaking, especially the interceptions at the perfect moment, that made him a standout.
”What made Xavier so special, in my opinion, Trev, wasn’t the numbers. It was when those numbers tended to happen, and it seemed to always be in a big moment, whether it was, you know, going all the way back to last season when you think of some of the interceptions he had,” Bryan added. He had a total of six interceptions in 16 games in the past season.
Now, it’s time for the NFL to have access to his gifts. The prodigy has already waited enough for his turn.
Xavier Watts has waited enough for his pro move
In the growing NIL era, leaving and switching jobs is a very proverbial reality. But Watts chooses to stay with the Irish longer than he was expected to. He could easily have been an NFL rookie last year, but he decided to wait and add more stats to his resume and contribute more to the team, of course.
After signing with the Fighting Irish after a hard-fought recruitment in 2020, Xavier Watts has been a force to be reckoned with in South Bend. He stuck with the program through the challenges of a global pandemic, multiple position switches, multiple coordinators and position coaches, a head coaching change, the allure of the NFL, the continuous manipulation of agents, programs, and promising big paychecks for a trip to the portal. So, you can’t question the loyalty. After all, it takes grit to have faith in the process and stand tall.
The Bronko Nagurski award winner opted to return for his fifth season and left with a runner-up status. ‘‘The thing I love about X the most and that he’s really improved at is his vocal communication. He’s a leader. He is a problem solver. He gets guys lined up,” Freeman said about his ultimate crown jewel of the defense. Now, the program has to take a huge leap to fill the void. It’s not easy, but with careful portal moves, it’s not impossible, either.
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