Two-time All-America safety Xavier Watts has decided to enter the NFL draft instead of returning to Notre Dame for a sixth season.
Watts shared the news on social media on Friday, just four days after the Irish lost to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff championship game in Atlanta.
Watts started his college career as a receiver in 2020 but switched to defense during his second season. Over the past two seasons, he recorded 13 interceptions, the most of any player in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
He intercepted six passes this season, including one that he returned 100 yards to help Notre Dame secure a win over Southern California. Watts was named to the Associated Press All-America first team for two consecutive years.
Watts, from Omaha, Nebraska, had the option to return to Notre Dame for another season because the NCAA gave athletes who played during the 2020 pandemic year an extra year of eligibility. Many draft experts believe Watts will be selected late in the first round or early in the second.
“As I begin the next chapter of my football journey, I’m filled with pride as I look back on the many memories and people that I’ll forever cherish,” Watts wrote on X. “I hope that my time in the Irish uniform has helped continue the tradition of those that came before me.”
