Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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38 AUGUST 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY BRYAN DRISKELL Notre Dame went into the 2020 re- cruiting cycle looking to land an elite haul of offensive players, and with the commitment of Omaha (Neb.) Burke wideout Xavier Watts it has accomplished that goal. From the moment he landed an offer from the Irish staff in Janu- ary, Watts became a priority recruit. Notre Dame had to beat out in-state Nebraska for his pledge. That hard work by the staff paid off in the end. "Just how bad they wanted me, and it showed," Watts said of what stood out about Notre Dame's re- cruiting pitch. "Also, the future, you can't go wrong with a degree from Notre Dame." For the Irish coaches, pushing for Watts was about what he brought on and off the field. "Just overall as a person and my abilities to play football," Watts ex- plained of the message from the staff. "How they see me fit into their of- fense with my ability to make plays and academics. Then my character and how it fits into their culture." Watts made his first visit to Notre Dame last fall, the weekend of Sept. 29 when the Irish took on Stanford. No matter how hard other schools pushed, from that weekend on the Irish remained in strong position to land the talented wideout. "When I was walked around all the people I saw were having a good time," Watts said of that first trip to South Bend. "It was a high-energy environment, everyone was nice and welcoming." The Irish rolled to 550 yards in a 38-17 win over the Cardinal, and quarterback Ian Book passed for 278 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Miles Boykin hauled in 11 passes for 144 yards and a score. Watts took notice of how the effec- tively Notre Dame's attack operated. "The offense was smooth, and they dominated," Watts noted. "What I liked most was when Miles Boykin caught one pass and [the coaches] noticed the corner couldn't guard him so they kept hitting him like three times in a row." Watts is a two-way standout for Burke, hauling in 67 passes for 1,093 yards and 14 touchdowns as a wide receiver while also racking up 58 tackles, six passes broken up and five interceptions. He helped lead the Bulldogs to a perfect 13-0 record and a Nebraska Class A state championship last fall. When Notre Dame first started evaluating Watts, coaches on both sides of the ball coveted him. In the end, Watts prefers offense, and the reason further ex- emplifies why the staff wanted him in the class. "Both are fun, but it's more fun to score touch- downs and block for your teammates," Watts explained. Watts' ability to make plays with the ball in his hands is something the staff wants to add more of to the roster. The original plan for Watts was to take offi- cial visits in the fall and then make his decision, but the two-way star changed his tune once he realized Notre Dame was where he wanted to be, and offensive coordinator Chip Long and wide receivers coach Del- Vaughn Alexander were thrilled with the decision. "I just felt the time was right and they were really recruiting me hard and wanted me bad, so I knew it was time," Watts explained. "They were both super excited and relieved when I committed. They welcomed me to the family." Notre Dame has been the leader for Watts for quite some time, but that didn't make turning down Nebraska any easier. "It was hard. It's close to home and family can come to every game," Watts said of the pull to stay in state. "But the opportunity to play for Notre Dame is hard to pass up. The football and education is too good." ESPN rates Watts as a four-star recruit and the No. 2 player in Ne- braska. Rivals and 247Sports also consider him to be the second-best player in his home state. He earned first-team all-state honors as a wide receiver from USA Today and The Journal Star, while The Omaha World- Herald named him to its first team as a defensive back. ✦ FILM ANALYSIS Strengths Xavier Watts is a dynamic two-way standout that Notre Dame would have taken to play on either side of the ball … Has good size for the position, but his strength with the ball in his hands stands out … Shows impressive playing speed, possessing a good burst at the snap and the long speed needed to hit home runs … Effective after the catch, showing the ability to turn quick throws into big plays … Tracks the deep ball exceptionally well and shows strong hands … Foot quickness and instincts for the position give him the potential to turn into an effective route runner with good coaching. Areas For Improvement Has potential as a route runner, but he needs technical work when getting off the press and with his footwork when running routes … Must continue to reshape his body and add more weight room strength, which will cause his game to explode. — Bryan Driskell COMMITMENT PROFILE XAVIER WATTS Irish Cap Off 2020 Offensive Class With Nebraska Wideout The 6-1, 180-pound Watts recorded 67 receptions for 1,093 yards and 14 scores during his junior season at Omaha (Neb.) Burke. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM