SOUTH BEND, Ind. — An unexpected development in this spring as Notre Dame’s defense navigates life after Xavier Watts is that a lookalike emerged from the transfer portal, albeit playing a different position than the two-time All-America safety.
More consequential than new No. 1 nickel Devonta Smith wearing the same “0” uniform and sporting dreads spilling out of the back of his helmet is finding a Xavier Watts’ act-alike before the Irish kick off the 2025 season Aug. 31 at Miami.
By then, Watts will likely be getting ready to start his rookie season with an NFL team and the Irish will be aspiring to finish No. 1 nationally for a third straight season in pass-efficiency defense.
What the latter process looks like nine practices into the 15 scheduled for this spring is a wave of young, hungry and talented players vying to be returning starting safety Adon Shuler’s new sidekick.
And hinting at a deeper safety rotation than last season’s.
“I mean, it's hard to replace Xavier Watts,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said Saturday after a session staged indoors that included a roughly 60-play intrasquad scrimmage and was open to the media. “I think there was just a level of comfort just knowing with X, that he built that trust over time.
“Because he's so consistent, you just knew Xavier Watts was going to make the play or find a way to make a play. I am extremely confident in the safeties room. Adon is the returning starter. Those other guys haven't played much meaningful football for our program yet, but we think they're definitely talented.”
Maybe the most intriguing of a surging group that includes former walk-on Luke Talich, freshman early enrollees JaDon Blair and Ethan Long and sophomore special teams stalwart Kennedy Urlacher is a player who played a different position last season and missed the first eight games of the 2024 season with an injury.
And yet took some No. 1 reps during the scrimmage and played all over the formation and looked impressive doing ...
