There is a ton of talent heading towards the NFL draft from Notre Dame's roster, but who?
The Fighting Irish currently hold eight players on PFF's top 300 big board. This does not necessarily imply that all eight players will be drafted, but it is safe to assume at least six will be based on the rankings.
The Irish are sending out two highly graded defensive backs in Benjamin Morrison (#16) and Xavier Watts (#45). Those two, as of now, are expected to be the first Golden Domers to fall off the draft board out of South Bend.
Round 1, Pick 21: Pittsburgh Steelers — Cornerback Benjamin Morrison
Benjamin Morrison was almost a consensus top 10-15 first-round pick going into this season and even halfway through the year. Unfortunately, the latter part of his year was spent on the sideline due to injury. Nonetheless, Morrison still has a solid outlook in his draft projections.
He recently declared for the draft, and there are already rumors surrounding him as a solid pair with a team like Pittsburgh, who have been known to dip into cornerback stock early in the draft after last year's selection of Joey Porter Jr. Porter is the son of former Steelers legend Joey Porter and played CB for Penn State. Porter had a relatively successful rookie season, but there is no doubt head coach Mike Tomlin, and the Steelers could use more assistance in the secondary, and Morrison fits their identity perfectly with his elite ability in man coverage.
Round 1, Pick 30: Buffalo Bills — Safety Xavier Watts
The Buffalo Bills off-loaded a plethora of talent last off-season, especially at the defensive back position. This gave opportunity for Damar Hamlin to get some great reps this season, however, when you lose key players like Jordan Poyer, Tre White and Micah Hyde that leaves room to address the future of the defensive backfield in the draft. Xavier Watts is a picture-perfect scheme and talent fit for the Bills.
Watts is currently ranked as the No. 45 player on the PFF top 300 big board, but when the pre-draft process hits, and it is time to break down the tape on Watts as an NFL prospect, general managers should see that number go to an early second to late first-round projection. Watts stands at a reported 6-foot, 203 pounds, with a variety of different tools. He has the rare ability to play in the tackle box while also being an elite pass defender. His high motor and max-effort play style would mesh perfectly with the Bills. Watts was a four-star recruit in the 2020 class who won the Bronco Nagurski trophy in 2023 for the Irish. He was also a unanimous All-American in 2023.
Round 3, Pick 103 New York Giants — Quarterback Riley Leonard
There is ton of speculation that the Giants will go quarterback at third overall. However, Deshaun Watsons' re-aggravation of his achilles injury could cause Cleveland to grab someone like a Shadeur Sanders right in front of New York. Riley Leonard offers a similar prototype to Daniel Jones, with more willingness to use his size to his advantage in the run game.
Leonard would be a good fit into New York's offensive style, as Head coach Brian Daboll has used a player of his athletic style before when he coached Josh Allen in Buffalo. He may not show day one starter qualities but with the right development behind the scenes on his lower body footwork, his accuracy could improve enough to be an NFL starter. No one doubts Leonard's qualities as a runner or a leader after the great season he just had with the Irish. Leonard's overall PFF grade improved from a 77.5 in 2023 to 83.9 in 2024, marking a significant jump.
Round 3, Pick 110: New Orleans Saints — Tight End Mitchell Evans
Mitchell Evans seems like a match made in heaven for a team like New Orleans. The Saints offense is built around the run with Alvin Kamara, but benefits off tight ends who can both block and catch the ball well. Evans is a great hybrid of blocking and pass catching, much like a Michael Mayer, another former Notre Dame tight end who currently plays for Las Vegas.
The Saints have question marks going forward and one of the biggest ones is tight end, which also happens to be a position of need. This could also help strap a player like Taysom Hill into a more focused role, rather than bouncing around multiple different positions all season where he is needed.
Round 4, Pick 138: San Francisco 49ers — D-Lineman Rylie Mills
Rylie Mills is a prospect that could pose a high ceiling for whoever drafts him. There is no doubt that his talent suggests more than a late-fourth round pick, however, his injury in 2024 will undoudebtly worry general managers in April. He shows day one or two qualities, but with the depth at DL in this draft we may see him go anywhere in the third or fourth round.
Mills is a solid fit for a team that needs help on their defensive front, like San Francisco. The 49ers hold the 137th overall pick as well, so taking Mills makes it much less of a risk if they double-dip, per se. Mills ranks No. 160 on the PFF big board top 300.
Other Golden Domers who could hear their name called
There are Notre Dame players who are on scouts big boards such as: Jack Kiser, Beaux Collins, Howard Cross III. Kiser is in the top 130 players on PFF, while players such as Collins and Cross III are not in the top 230. Kiser is likely to hear his name called on the second or third day, while the other two probably will be hopeful for day three. You never know with how today's draft scenarios have worked out, though.