Charlotte, North Carolina — University of Notre Dame junior safety Xavier Watts (Omaha, Nebraska) has been named the winner of the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is presented annually by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America to the nation’s best defensive player.
Watts is the second Notre Dame player to earn the prestigious award after linebacker Manti Te’o in 2012. He was one of five finalists for the award which included Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean, Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, Georgia safety Malaki Starks and NC State linebacker Payton Wilson.
X gon’ win it
The best defensive player in college football.
Congratulations to Xavier Watts on being the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner. #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/6XrFJQrUrA
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 5, 2023
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935.
Watts led the nation in interceptions this year with seven and established himself as one of the best playmaking safeties in the country. He is the first Notre Dame player to post back-to-back games with multiple interceptions and just the fifth FBS player to do so in the last five seasons. Watts also became the first Notre Dame player to intercept a pass in three consecutive games this year.
A two-time national defensive player of the week in 2023, Watts earned his first award after dominating the game against No. 6 Southern Cal on October 14. He piled up seven tackles, intercepted reigning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams two times, forced a fumble and also recovered a different fumble and returned it for a touchdown.
He followed up the Southern Cal performance with two more interceptions in the victory over Pittsburgh. All seven of Watts’ interceptions this season have led directly to Notre Dame points including five touchdowns.
Watts finished the season fifth on the Notre Dame team with 47 tackles, which included 2.5 tackles for loss, four passes broken up, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. His 137 interception return yards are the second-most at Notre Dame since 1996 (Julian Love, 2017, 153).
Xavier Watts gives his acceptance speech at the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy banquet.