The Huskers have lost their first true battle for an in-state Power 5 recruit in the Frost Era. On Friday, Omaha Burke 3-star (HV Rating: 86.0) wide receiver Xavier Watts announced that he will join Notre Dame’s 2020 recruiting class.
COMMITTED#Goirish☘️ pic.twitter.com/tN7NLe9ZGx
— Xavier Watts (@xavierwatts6) July 5, 2019
This recruitment had a lot of people going back and forth. After his official visit to Notre Dame the weekend of June 21, it seemed like the Irish had all the momentum. For unknown reasons, Watts did not just commit on the spot to the Irish. After returning home to Omaha to think things over, Brian Kelly’s team won the battle.
Watts is a terrific player and this is a blow for Nebraska. The Huskers still sit with one wide receiver in the class” Bellevue West’s Zavier Betts. As for Watts, he helped lead his Burke Bulldogs to an undefeated record during his junior season in which he racked up 1.093 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He also chipped in 58 tackles and five interceptions on defense.
Interestingly enough, despite living in Omaha, Watts elected not to take an official visit to Nebraska. He was a frequent visitor during the spring and summer though, visiting multiple times in an attempt to build a bond with the Nebraska staff. His official visit to South Bend was the only one he took.
Notre Dame currently has a top-10 recruiting class and Watts is the fourth wide receiver to join the fold.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7629864/5bfb0bd615f6760cfc161a04
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
