Notre Dame finished last season with its best winning percentage since 2018, and made its first College Football Playoff. The Fighting Irish came up short in the national championship against Ohio State, but don’t let that takeaway from their impressive season.
With all the talent from 2024, Notre Dame had six players drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, and three more signed as undrafted free agents.
The opener of the 2025 NFL season is in books, so let’s take a look at how the Fighting Irish did in their NFL debuts.
Who Played And How Did They Do?
Notre Dame had two of their six draft picks play meaningful snaps in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, and two others got to see some playing time as well.
Xavier Watts
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Watts in the third round and the rookie won a starting safety spot in training camp.
The Notre Dame product rewarded his coaching staff on their decision by collecting six tackles and two passes defended, and nearly coming down with two interceptions in his NFL debut.
Xavier Watts was inches from 2 INTs in his first career game. Looks like he’s been playing a decade already. What a steal at pick 96 pic.twitter.com/PqI9RZ2kPT
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) September 8, 2025
Watts played five years for the Fighting Irish, collecting almost 200 tackles, 18 passes defended and 13 interceptions. The standout safety led the FBS in interceptions his junior and senior year.
Now, Watts is performing at the next level, and bringing production immediately.
Mitchell Evans
The Carolina Panther drafted Evans in the fifth round and he impressed throughout training camp. Fellow tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders named Evans as one of the standout rookies.
Thomas Davis asked Ja’Tavion Sanders which rookies have stood out the most to him
He named Lathan Ransom and Mitchell Evans pic.twitter.com/03RsyD85fq
— Edgar Salmingo, Jr. ✌🏽 (@PanthersAnalyst) August 8, 2025
Evans didn’t record any stats in his NFL debut, but the rookie tight end did play nine offensive snaps and seven snaps on special teams.
The Panthers’ rookie developed into a star at Notre Dame, collecting more than 400 yards each of his last two years, and three touchdowns as a senior.
Benjamin Morrison, Jack Kiser, Beaux Collins
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Morrison in the second round, and he stood out in training camp. The Notre Dame cornerback missed the entire preseason with an injury and was held out of the Buccaneers’ opener.
Benjamin Morrison with an interception during Buccaneers training camp.
Tampa Bay got an absolute steal in Morrison.
🎥: @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/NWN8C2X60e
— Caleb Conrad (@CalebConrad23) July 28, 2025
However, Morrison will play a pivotal role in Tampa Bay’s secondary once he’s fully healthy.
Kiser was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round, and was considered the best rookie in camp aside from Travis Hunter.
The Notre Dame linebacker didn’t get any reps at linebacker on Sunday, but he did play on the kickoff return team.
LB Jack Kiser has been the best rookie not named Travis Hunter at training camp. getting a lot of second-team work pic.twitter.com/twradftBt3
— Gus Logue (#1 Bryce Huff fan) (@gus_logue) August 6, 2025
Collins went undrafted and was signed by the New York Giants, and put together a very strong training camp and preseason. The rookie receiver did play one snap on Sunday, subbing in for Malik Nabors.
Riley Leonard, Rylie Mills, Howard Cross III
Leonard was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round and is third on the depth chart behind Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson.
Mills was drafted in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks, and started the season on the non-football injury or illness roster designation.
Cross went undrafted but was signed and made the Cincinnati Bengals’ 53-man roster. Cross was inactive on Sunday.
