Benjamin Morrison, Xavier Watts Named Top Returning Defensive Backs

Notre Dame defensive backs Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts were named top five returning defensive backs by PFF

Oct 14, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20) / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame had one of the nation's best secondaries in 2023, and that is expected to continue again in 2024. Pro Football Focus released a breakdown of the top returning players in the country, and a pair of Notre Dame defensive backs ranked among the top four players in the country at their positions according to Pro Football Focus.

PFF ranked junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison as the second best cornerback after a second straight outstanding season.

"While Will Johnson’s first two college seasons were special, Morrison’s weren’t too far behind. As a true freshman in 2022, he tied for the Power Five lead with six interceptions and his 29.2 passer rating allowed ranked third. In 2023, he tied for eighth in that same group with 13 forced incompletions.

"Morrison has posted an 86.8 single-coverage grade since 2022, which paces all returning Power Five cornerbacks. On seven targets against Marvin Harrison Jr. over the past two years, he forced more incompletions (three) than he allowed catches (two). While there’s work to do as a tackler, Morrison has elite ball skills for the position. He and Johnson could be top-10 picks in 2025 and would likely be the first cornerbacks off the board this year if eligible." - Max Chadwick, PFF

Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is the only cornerback to rank ahead of Morrison.

Safety Xavier Watts was a unanimous All-American in 2023 after he led the nation with seven interceptions. Watts also won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's best defensive player. PFF ranked him as the No. 4 returning safety in the country.

"Watts took home the Bronko Nagurski Trophy in 2023, given to the best defensive player in college football. While his underlying metrics didn’t necessarily paint the senior in the same light, there’s no denying that he was a big-time playmaker for Notre Dame’s defense. 

"Watts led the FBS with seven interceptions last season and didn’t allow a touchdown into his coverage. His 37.8 passer rating allowed in 2023 was the eighth-best mark by a Power Five safety. 

"To take his game to the next level, Watts needs to improve in the run game and as a tackler. He posted just a 62.5 PFF run-defense grade last year and missed 18% of his tackle attempts. The latter figure placed him in just the eighth percentile for the nation’s safeties in 2023." - Max Chadwick, PFF

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs ranked No. 1, Georgia safety Malaki Starks ranked No. 2 and Purdue safety Dillon Thieneman ranked No. 3 on the list.

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