5 Notre Dame Players to Watch Against Texas A&M

5 impact Notre Dame starters to keep an eye out for against Texas A&M in Week 1

Oct 28, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Christian Gray (29) intercepts a pass intended for Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Bub Means (0) in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Part of the fun in watching two elite programs go head-to-head is seeing the most talented players in the country compete against each other, five-star versus five-star.

A key thrill of a Week 1 matchup is witnessing trial by fire en masse, seeing which freshmen have what it takes and which athletes aren't quite there yet. When Notre Dame visits Kyle Field and Texas A&M in Week 1, there will be plenty of player storylines to track.

Ahead of the marquee matchup on Saturday, here are five Irish players whose fingerprints will be all over this game.

5 .Beaux Collins, WR Sr.

The Irish haven't had a 1000 yard receiver since Chase Claypool in 2019. Last year, nobody even touched 500 yards. For such an elite program, receiver talent has been hard to come by recently. Again in 2024, there is no one obvious answer. But, of the wideouts on ND's roster, Beaux Collins seems to be the name to circle.

The Clemson transfer hauled in 510 yards last year, and has produced consistently for three years. A deep throw target, Collins can stretch the field.

Against A&M, in a game where the defenses should hold the advantage, the Irish offense might need Collins to provide a couple explosive plays to get into the red-zone and score.

4. Anthonie Knapp, OT Fr.

Starting left tackle Anthonie Knapp finished high school four months ago. The relatively unheralded recruit rose from seemingly nowhere, winning over the Irish coaching staff after a season ending injury to presumed starter Charles Jagusah opened up the LT starting spot.

His reward; a matchup against Nic Scourton, one of the best edge rushers in the game who recorded 10 sacks last year. More broadly, the Aggie D-line houses a plethora of former four and five star recruits who will take turns attacking Knapp.

Whether Knapp can hold his own will be key for an Irish offensive line with 6 combined starts.

3. Christian Gray, CB Soph.

With Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman healthy again and given the ferocity of the Irish defensive line, the Aggies will be throwing the ball frequently.

S Xavier Watts and CB Benjamin Morrison headline a very strong Notre Dame secondary, but Chance Tucker's torn ACL thrusts sophomore Christian Gray into the starting lineup. Gray is unproven and will be tasked with guarding the uber-talented but unsteady WR2 Moose Muhammed III.

Against A&M, Morrison and Watts should shut down most of the aerial attack, but if Gray can get involved, the Notre Dame defense could take the life out of the Aggies early and win the game.

2. Howard Cross III, DT Sr.

The Irish have a deep and talented defensive line. Rylie Mills, R.J. Oben, and Jordan Botelho figure to be impactful players, but nobody matters more than Cross - one of the top returning defensive tackles in the country.

This weekend, Cross will be called upon time and time again to win matchups against an Aggie offensive line that looked lost at times last year. The ND offense will need leeway to make some mistakes, and if Cross can stall out a couple Aggie drives with his individual brilliance, they will have that freedom.

1. Riley Leonard, QB Sr.

For two years, Riley Leonard developed at Duke before storming onto the scene last year. On Saturday, the coach who oversaw that growth will stand on the sideline opposite him. Can Riley outsmart Elko? Will Elko predict Riley? Does it matter?

What will matter is whether or not Riley has fully recovered from his second ankle surgery in March. With a frighteningly young offensive line protecting him and a disruptive Aggie crowd in his ear, Riley's poise and leadership will be fully tested.

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