Notre Dame Football: Top Freshman All-American Candidates to Watch in 2024

For the past four years, I’ve worked with former Alabama and Seattle Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander to create the watch list and ultimately help select the winner of the Freshman of the Year Award named in Shaun’s honor.

I track these rookies and redshirt freshmen from All-Star games and Signing Day to spring camp and offseason conditioning.

CB Benjamin Morrison contended for the award in 2022, and WR Jaden Greathouse was a watch-lister last summer.

Five Fighting Irish freshmen not only have the talent to be in the mix in 2024, but they’ll also have a shot to be Freshmen All-Americans if the reps are there.

Smith wasn’t highly touted coming out of Reedy (Tex.) so his ascent into a possible backup role at “Z” has been a nice surprise. He’s undersized but his smooth athleticism and raw speed allow him to get separation and take the top off defenses.

If Smith builds off a strong spring, he and blue-chipper Cam Williams could be situational stars and playmaking foundations of the future.

Ausberry was a four-star recruit who turned down his hometown school, LSU, to play for Notre Dame. A standout offseason, on and off the field, has him positioned to be a key contributor this fall.

Ausberry is dynamic athletically, instinctive, and versatile enough to earn snaps at Rover, Will, and Nickel out of the secondary.

Shuler was running with the first team in the spring opposite All-American Xavier Watts. And while he’ll have to beat out Northwestern addition Rod Heard this summer, he’s shown enough throughout the offseason to see a big spike in playing time.

Shuler is becoming more of a student of the game to go along with the sturdy 6-0, 200-pound frame to step up and fill lanes in run defense.

It’s been 10 years since a true freshman linebacker played significant snaps at Notre Dame. But Viliamu-Asa has the talent and maturity to get on the field right away, even if that means spelling Drayk Bowen in the middle.

At 6-3 and 240 pounds, KVA is already there physically, and he has quickly picked up the complex nuances of Al Golden’s D. Viliamu-Asa is unlikely to start, but he’ll make it hard for the coaches to keep him off the field.

Jagusah has a chance to be the next great lineman at a school that’s produced eight first or second-round O-linemen in the last decade. He’s an agile 6-7, 330-pounder with the feet to seal the edge and the strength to maul opponents.

In a trailer for this season, Jagusah was outstanding replacing All-American Joe Alt in last year’s Sun Bowl and he’s already been slotted as Riley Leonard’s blindside protector.

Projected Notre Dame Football Depth Chart