Junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison and graduate safety Xavier Watts have been named to the 2024 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List. The award recognizes the nation’s top defensive back in college football.
Notre Dame has had two finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award throughout its history: cornerback Todd Lyght in 1989 and cornerback Bobby Taylor in 1993. Morrison was a semifinalist for the 2023 Thorpe Award.
In 2023, Morrison and Watts helped Notre Dame to become the nation’s top pass-efficiency defense (97.09), the program’s best effort since 1980 (4th), and the fifth-overall defense (276.3).
Morrison led the Irish with 10 pass breakups in 2023, recording 31 tackles (25 solo). Morrison also intercepted three passes on the season. He earned Freshman All-America honors in 2022 as one of the late-season breakout stars of college football, picking off two interceptions and returning one 96 yards for a touchdown in Notre Dame’s 35-14 romp over No. 5 Clemson.
In 2022, he claimed a share of the Notre Dame single-game record with three interceptions in a shutout win over Boston College, including two interceptions in the first quarter. Morrison appeared in all 13 games in 2022, starting nine and finishing the year with 33 tackles, 22 solo stops and four pass break ups.
A 2023 Unanimous All-American, Watts tied for the national lead with seven interceptions, averaging an interception every other game.
Watts played and started in all 13 games during the season, finishing with 52 tackles, 30 solo, three tackles for loss and 0.5 sack, adding four pass breakups. He forced a fumble and recovered a fumble, returning it for a touchdown. Watts’ seven interceptions led to 33 total Notre Dame points on the subsequent drives.
Off his consecutive two-interception games vs. Pitt and USC, Watts was the first Notre Dame defender to pick off two passes in back-to-back games since at least 1996. He was one of three FBS players to achieve two multi-INT games in 2023, and the only to do so in consecutive games. He earned Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week honors for both of those performances in 2023.
The watch list includes 42 of the nation’s best defensive backs, representing nine conferences and one independent university. The preseason watch list is selected by a screening committee whose members compile a list of up to 50 players based on previous performance in NCAA Division I college football and preseason All-America lists. Players who have outstanding seasons may be added to the semifinalists and finalists lists as the season progresses.