Another national publication is bullish on Notre Dame’s secondary heading into the season.
Pro Football Focus ranked the Fighting Irish No. 3 behind Texas and Alabama in its top-10 secondaries, and Athlon Sports did the same. Even with All-American Xavier Watts and Benjamin Morrison now in the NFL, standouts such as cornerbacks Leonard Moore and Christian Gray should keep the Irish secondary among the nation’s best. Gray was a little inconsistent after returning from an injury last fall, but the expectations are that Irish fans will see the pre-injury version of him in 2025.
Safety Adon Shuler learned under Watts and could be poised for a standout season. He had 59 tackles, five pass breakups and three interceptions while playing alongside Watts last year. ND also landed Alabama transfer Devonta Smith in the portal.
The big question is who will play safety opposite Shuler. Luke Talich, Brauntae Johnson, freshman JaDon Blair and Virginia Tech transfer Jalen Stroman are all in the mix.
Notre Dame’s secondary will be a key component of a team that has College Football Playoff aspirations once again.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Athlon Sports ranks Notre Dame secondary third nationally
Reporting by Dave Miller, Fighting Irish Wire / Fighting Irish Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
