Watts receives consensus All-America honors, first two-time Irish consensus honoree since 1993

Xavier Watts, one of the most decorated Notre Dame football players in program history, was named a consensus first-team All-American for his performance in the 2024 season after being a unanimous All-America selection in 2023. Watts is one of only 17 Irish players of all time to win the consensus award twice, and the first to do so since 1993.

Watts is one of two returning All-Americans in the FBS in 2024, joining Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

Watts gives Notre Dame the 111th consensus All-America selection. He joins an illustrious list of Notre Dame colleagues who have been selected twice by the All-America consensus:

• Frank Carideo, back (1929, 1930)
• Marchy Schwartz, back (1930, 1931)
• Bob Dove, End (1941, 1942)
• George Connor, tackle (1946, 1947)
• John Lujack, back (1946, 1947)
• Bill Fischer, guard (1947, 1948)
• Leon Hart, End (1948, 1949)
• Emil Sitko, back (1948, 1949)
• John Lattner, back (1952, 1953)
• Ross Browner, defensive end (1976, 1977)
• Ken MacAfee, tight end (1976, 1977)
• Bob Crable, linebacker (1980, 1981)
• Michael Stonebreaker, linebacker (1988, 1990)
• Todd Lyght, defense attorney (1989, 1990)
• Chris Zorich, defensive line (1989, 1990)
• Aaron Taylor, offensive line (1992, 1993)

Watts, the 2024 team captain, was named a 2024 First-Team All-American by the Associated Press for the second consecutive year, Walter Camp, The Sports News and the AFCA, which earned FWAA second-team honors in 2024.

Watts was also named a first-team All-American by The athlete, USA TODAY, Sports IllustratedPro Football Focus and Bleacher Report. Watts was named a first-team Midseason All-American by the Associated Press, The Sporting News, PFF, Athlon Sports, The Athletic and CBS Sports.

Watts earned the Notre Dame program’s 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award and was named a semifinalist for the 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Bednarik Award, the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Watts has totaled 12 interceptions in his career, the most by a Notre Dame player since 1996. He is the 19th Notre Dame player to intercept 10 or more passes and ranks third on the all-time interceptions list eighth place in program history.

Watts ranks third nationally in total interceptions (5), fourth in the country in interceptions per game (0.4) and 12th in the country in passes defensed (1.2 per game).

Notre Dame has committed 28 turnovers this season (tied for the national lead). Watts is responsible for six of them (five interceptions, one fumble recovery).

The Irish defense is one of the most complete defenses in the country and is one of the top teams in the FBS. At the end of the regular season, Notre Dame was first in team pass efficiency defense (94.10), first in turnovers scored (28), first in defensive touchdowns (6), third in scoring defense (13.6) and fourth in passing yards allowed (157.9), fourth in interceptions (17), seventh in fumbles recovered (11), ninth in Red zone defense (.733), 10th in total defense (296.8) and 10th in first downs defense (197).