Commander Country

Commanders Could Draft Notre Dame DB

The Washington Commanders may fortify their secondary with a Notre Dame defensive back.

Jeremy Brener

Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (0) celebrates getting an interception during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend.
Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (0) celebrates getting an interception during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Washington Commanders are paying attention to the College Football Playoff to look at some potential prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft.

A player that could make sense for them is Notre Dame defensive back Xavier Watts, who has 13 interceptions over the last two years for the Fighting Irish.

Bleacher Report draft analyst Brent Sobleski named Watts as a good fit for the Commanders.

"Watts shines as a run defender," Bleacher Report scout Cory Giddings wrote. "He triggers quickly, aggressively coming downhill to the ball, and tackles with physicality. His ability to stop ball carriers with minimal yards after contact is notable. However, his lack of elite speed may lead to overextension on the edge, limiting his effectiveness when running the alley."

Watts had 10 tackles and an interception as Notre Dame rolled past Indiana in its quarterfinal matchup.

The Commanders will get another shot to look at Watts in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1 against the Georgia Bulldogs for a chance to advance to the CFP Semifinals.

READ MORE: Staff Predictions Ahead of Commanders vs. Eagles in Week 16

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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