The NFL Draft wrapped up this past Saturday night in Green Bay with 6 Notre Dame players hearing their name called to join their new professional homes. Irish rival USC had 3 picks so the all-time lead grows to 5 for the good guys before next year’s draft in Pittsburgh. This wasn’t the draft Notre Dame was hoping for but it was it’s crazy to see no top 50 picks from an Irish team that still made it to the National Championship Game. In comparison, Ohio State had 4 first round picks and 7 players overall in the top 50 selections. At the end, the Buckeyes had 14 picks, just one shy of the modern 7-round record.

Here’s a recap of the weekend:

Notre Dame Draft Picks

CB Benjamin Morrison
2nd Round, 21st Pick
53rd Overall
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs have former 5th round pick Zyon McCollum in the final year of his rookie deal and veteran Jamel Dean with 2 years remaining on his contract that will take him through 30 years old so this is a good organization for Morrison to find playing time early in his career. Tampa is moving nickelback Tykee Smith to safety although they did draft Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish in the 3rd round with an eye for this open spot.

While Morrison would’ve been hoping for a 1st round pick, larger contract, and a signing bonus near $10 million his fall to the back half of the 2nd round will see him sign a deal worth $8.2 million with a $2.6 million signing bonus.

S Xavier Watts
3rd Round, 32nd Pick
96th Overall
Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons were one of the most safety-hungry teams in the draft but with the no. 15 and no. 26 overall picks that was far too early for Xavier Watts in this NFL economy. However, the Dirty Birds took the Irish safety with their next pick late in the 3rd round where he’ll get every chance to start in his rookie season.

Atlanta signed Jordan Fuller to a 1-year deal this off-season, former 7th round pick DeMarcco Hellams has 2 years remaining on his rookie deal (after being on Injured Reserved all of 2024), while Jessie Bates has 2 years and $44.5 million combined cap hit remaining on his deal.

Watts was the 6th safety off the board and will sign a deal worth just under $6.2 million with a signing bonus over $1.1 million.

LB Jack Kiser
4th Round, 5th Pick
107th Overall
Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville has quite a bit of money tied up at the linebacker position ($46.9 million cap hit, 8th most in the NFL) but was looking for some long-term depth for the future. Former 1st round pick Devin Lloyd didn’t have his team-option 5th year option picked up and looks set for his final season in Jacksonville while former 3rd round pick Chad Muma is heading into the last year of his rookie contract and possibly not being re-signed. There may be more opportunity for Kiser during his second season with the Jaguars.

Coming off the board near the top of the 4th round, Kiser will sign a deal worth $5.2 million with a $1 million signing bonus.

DT Rylie Mills
5th Round, 4th Pick
142nd Overall
Seattle Seahawks

Seattle was looking to add depth on the defensive line and moved up quite a bit via trade to select Mills early in the 5th round. Currently using a hybrid 3-4 defense, Mills would look to fill a defensive end position–although it’s possible he could bulk up into a nose guard in a couple years. If he recovers from his knee injury, Mills has an opportunity to back up locked in starter Leonard Williams.

At this draft spot, Mills will sign a deal worth $4.6 million with a $466,000 signing bonus.

TE Mitchell Evans
5th Round, 27th Pick
163rd Overall
Carolina Panthers

Evans ended up being the 8th tight end picked in this 2025 draft. Six tight ends went inside the top 67 overall selections then only Gunnar Helm (Texas) at 120th overall was picked from the early 3rd round until Evans came off the board late in the 5th round. The Panthers aren’t short on tight ends and will probably do some roster reshuffling before the season begins.

Last year undrafted tight end Colin Granger signed a 3-year deal worth $2.9 million recently and former 5th round pick James Mitchell signed a 1-year deal worth $1 million after leaving the Lions. The Panthers also have former Notre Dame player Tommy Tremble ($3.8 million cap hit with an out after this upcoming season) and last year’s 4th round pick Ja’Tavion Sanders locked up long term.

Tremble probably isn’t the long-term answer for the Panthers, although Sanders had a very nice debut campaign with 33 receptions–2nd best among all rookies in 2024. Evans should sign a similar deal to Rylie Mills worth $4.6 million but with a signing bonus around $390,000.

QB Riley Leonard
6th Round, 13th Pick
189th Overall
Indianapolis Colts

Leonard joins Ian Book, DeShone Kizer, Jimmy Clausen, Brady Quinn, and Jarious Jackson as the Notre Dame quarterbacks to be drafted since 2000 and heads to Indianapolis. The organization signed former Kansas quarterback Jason Bean to a free agent deal in 2024 and just re-signed him to a 1-year futures/reserve deal in January for $840,000. If Leonard fights for a roster spot that will be most likely who it’ll be against this fall.

The Colts added Daniels Jones for 1 year at $14.5 million with former 4th overall pick Anthony Richardson still under contract for 3 more seasons including a club option in 2027.

This isn’t a bad spot for Leonard to begin his career and he should get plenty of looks during camp and the pre-season games, too. He is set to sign a contract worth $4.4 million with a $234,000 signing bonus.

Free Agents

WR Beaux Collins
New York Giants

DT Howard Cross
Cincinnati Bengals

CB Jordan Clark
New York Jets

The Giants have a pair of really talented young receivers (Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson combined for 202 receptions last year) and a weird quarterback situation (Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Tommy DeVito, and they drafted Jaxson Dart) for Collins to try and make the team. Cross heading to Cincinnati to be with Al Golden again makes a lot of sense and is an excellent free agency decision for both parties. Clark surprised many with his 1 year in South Bend, will he do the same in the NFL?

Other former Irish looking for an opportunity include RB Devyn Ford, WR Jayden Harrison, WR Max Hurleman, WR Kris Mitchell, DE RJ Oben, S Rod Heard, and PK Mitch Jeter.

Notes

Navy had a player drafted, their first since Malcom Perry was taken in the 7th round back in 2020. Safety Rayuan Lane III was picked 200th overall by the Jaguars and is the first defensive Midshipman since 1993 to get selected in the NFL Draft.

Remember when Brady Quinn’s slide from potential top 5/10 pick all the way down to no. 22 overall felt like the end of the world? It really puts Shedeur Sanders’ drop to 144th(!!) overall into perspective! Of all the missteps along the way, Sanders made the right call not showing up to the draft in Green Bay for all the cameras, that was what made Quinn’s evening such a nightmare.

In total, 13 quarterbacks were taken in the draft with former no. 1 overall recruit Quinn Ewers being the last picked at 231st overall. Brady Cook (Missouri) was the most high profile player not to be picked at the position.

SMU and Arizona State coming off their best seasons in a long, long time only to combine for 3 draft picks is something I noticed. Indiana, as well. The Hoosiers were a playoff team with 2 draft picks.