The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had a tremendous 2024-25 season, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff and making a surprise run all the way to the national championship game. They had a slew of talented players on the roster who have now turned their attention to the NFL draft process.
Below, we’ll break down each player that’s projected to be selected and analyze what exactly puts them in that position following excellent college careers.
CB Benjamin Morrison 2025 NFL Draft Landing Spots
- ESPN: Round 2, Pick 46
- Pro Football Network: Round 2, Pick 43
Morrison is widely considered to be a first-round talent but has been extremely injury prone at the college level. This has led to his draft projection being solidified in the mid-second round. If he falls any further than that, some lucky organization will be getting a ton of value for picking Morrison that far down.
S Xavier Watts 2025 NFL Draft Landing Spots
- ESPN: Round 2, Pick 62
- Pro Football Network: Round 2, Pick 59
Once considered among the top safeties in the draft, Watts’ stock has fallen. A key part of that is his age, as he’s already 24 years old which some believe puts a cap on his potential at the next level. Despite that, he was a terrific, rangy safety for the Fighting Irish and could contribute immediately for an NFL secondary.
QB Riley Leonard 2025 NFL Draft Landing Spots
- USA Today: Round 5
- Sports Illustrated: Round 5
Leonard was the heart and soul behind Notre Dame’s run to the national championship game, displaying extreme toughness and willpower on the field and with his leadership. While important intangibles, those were the main aspects that drove Leonard’s play at the college level, leaving question marks about how his lack of refined skills will translate to the NFL.
Regardless, he projects as a late round pick with hopes of carving out a backup quarterback role or as a runner in short-yardage situations.
DT Rylie Mills 2025 NFL Draft Landing Spots
- USA Today: Round 5
- The Athletic: Round 5
Mills was the defensive captain for the Irish while being named an ESPN All-American. His draft stock would be considered higher if he hadn’t torn his ACL in the CFP, which leaves his status for the beginning of the NFL season up in the air. His leadership and workmanlike attitude will get him drafted, however it’s unlikely to be earlier than the fifth round.
TE Mitchell Evans 2025 NFL Draft Landing Spots
- USA Today: Round 5
- Sports Illustrated: Round 5
Evans is a physical tight end and a tremendous blocker. Unfortunately, that’s not what garners heavy draft buzz in this day and age, leading Evans likely waiting until the fifth round or later before he hears his name called.
LB Jack Kiser 2025 NFL Draft Landing Spots
- Sports Illustrated: Round 5
- CBS Sports: Round 5
The fourth player largely expected to be taken in the fifth round, Kiser is a heady player from his linebacker spot but lacks the athletic traits that often come with high-level, rangy players at that position. For those reasons, he projects as a mid-to-late round pick.
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DT Howard Cross III 2025 NFL Draft Landing Spots
- Sports Illustrated: Round 6
- CBS Sports: Round 7
Cross is a similar prospect as Kiser, with a noticeable high IQ on the field but a lack of top-end athleticism and strength that leaves his chances of becoming an elite player at the NFL level relatively low. The Notre Dame name and winning experience will help him get drafted, though it won’t be until late.
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