NCAA Football Video Game Ratings Released for Four Notre Dame Players

Notre Dame is among the teams with most players rated in the top 100

Oct 14, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20) celebrates after an interception in the second quarter against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

It's been over a decade since EA Sports released their NCAA football video game, but now we're just days away from the game being reentering the mainstream.

EA Sports has done a tremendous job slow playing this promotionally. We've seen the toughest stadiums to play in get released, the top ranked offenses, defenses, and overall teams. We've also seen a handful of different game trailers released that have only added to the buzz.

Finally here on Wednesday, July 10, we have a handful of player ratings.

EA Sports made the top-100 overall players ratings available for the game and four Notre Dame players made the list. Below are those four and a quick thought on if they're too high, too low, or just right.

Notre Dame Player Ratings: Howard Cross, DT, 90 overall

Howard Cross might not be the very best player on Notre Dame's defense but he's the key cog that makes everything go. He provided consistent pressure last year and was huge in taking away the opponents ability to run anywhere near the middle of the field.

This is a unique season for Notre Dame and Cross where it's plenty fair to expect another year of experience will make him better, but that the position is also stronger top to bottom and won't require him to have to play as many downs.

Notre Dame Player Ratings: Mitchell Evans, TE, 90 overall

Mitchell Evans was Notre Dame's best receiving target a year ago before getting hurt with roughly a month left in the regular season. All signs point to him being ready to go after suffering a torn ACL but this year will be different for how Notre Dame likely uses tight ends.

For years Notre Dame has played with multiple tight ends on the field the majority of the time. New offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock coaches the tight ends as well but while putting up monster numbers leading LSU's offense in recent years, he was much more about using just one tight end.

If Notre Dame's receivers step up to the plate and allow that to be a reality in 2024 remains to be seen.

Notre Dame Player Ratings: Xavier Watts, S, 92 overall

Maybe its because he was recruited to play offense and only switched to safety in recent years, but it feels like the hype Xavier Watts is getting while returning to Notre Dame for his final season isn't enough. Watts won the Bronco Nagurski Award last year as the nation's best defensive player.

Sure, that came largely because he had the game of a lifetime in primetime when he was a turnover forcing machine against Caleb Williams and USC.

Regardless, one of the nation's best safeties looks to finish with a bang after recording seven interceptions in his award winning 2023 campaign.

Notre Dame Player Ratings: Benjamin Morrison, CB, 94 overall

Benjamin Morrison is arguably as good as any corner back in the country when healthy. He started his Notre Dame career with a bang, seeing playing time immediately in the 2022 opener at Ohio State as a true freshman. Before the end of the year he had recorded six interceptions, including an incredible pick-six to help seal the victory over previously unbeaten Clemson.

Morrison recorded three more interceptions last season but just as impressive, he held the likes of Marvin Harrison, Jr. and other star receivers he battled against to significantly fewer yards than their season averages.

Can Morrison have a banger of a 2024 season and end up a first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL draft?

That's certainly the goal entering fall.

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