Former Notre Dame defensive star just got a surprise NFL nod

Former Notre Dame football star Howard Cross will officially continue to play for the same defensive coordinator he did in South Bend. That's because Cross was one of the final players to make the Cincinnati Bengals' 53-man roster.

Cross was not drafted this spring, but right after the NFL Draft ended, he signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent. That was a bit of a surprise, as the whispers entering the final cut-down day were that the defensive tackle might not make the team, but that defensive coordinator Al Golden had his eyes on getting Cincy to bring Cross back on the practice squad if he cleared waivers.

Notre Dame football to NFL: what Howard Cross brings to the Bengals’ defensive line

Instead, the former Notre Dame football star, who hauled in all kinds of awards while he was with the Fighting Irish, played well enough to make the roster outright.

After his second-team All-American season during his junior year, Cross returned to Notre Dame with a ton of hype around him. Unfortunately, he battled injuries during his senior season, which led to many NFL teams dropping him from their draft boards altogether. While he might have still been on a few, no team opted to take him, which has turned out very well for the Bengals and his college DC in Golden.

While playing in South Bend and under Golden the last three years, he logged 10 sacks and 61 quarterback pressures. He is also said to have moved up the depth chart this offseason, showing off enough grit that the Bengals decided he was someone worth keeping around with the regular season right around the corner.

Howard Cross III now officially continues to follow in his former NFL star father's shoes. The Notre Dame football star's dad played 13 seasons at tight end for the New York Giants.