HC #95

Howard Cross III

Defensive Tackle · Notre Dame

Howard Cross III, the son of former Giants tight end Howard Cross, earned the nickname "Fast Hands Howard" at Notre Dame before signing with Cincinnati as an undrafted free agent.

Howard Cross III followed in his father's NFL footsteps after a standout six-year run at Notre Dame, where he became a two-time All-American on the defensive line. Undersized but quick off the snap, he made the Bengals' initial 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie in 2025 before working his way into game action late in the year.

★ Two-time second-team All-American at Notre Dame (2023, 2024)

★ 66 tackles in 2023, most among Power Five defensive linemen

★ Helped Notre Dame reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game

★ First career fumble recovery in 2025 season finale against Cleveland

Path to the league

Cross played six seasons at Notre Dame from 2019 to 2024, appearing in 66 games with 34 starts and finishing with 169 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, ranking second in program history in games played. He went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent, reuniting with defensive coordinator Al Golden, his former coordinator at Notre Dame.

Career highlights

Undersized at 6-foot-1 and 283 pounds, Cross earned the nickname "Fast Hands Howard" from Al Golden for his quickness off the ball. In 2023 he recorded 66 tackles, fourth-most in the FBS and the most among Power Five defensive linemen, earning second-team All-America honors; he repeated as a second-team All-American in 2024 while helping lead Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

2025 season recap

Cross made the Bengals' initial 53-man roster out of training camp but spent much of his rookie season on the practice squad before appearing in four games. He finished with four tackles and recovered his first career NFL fumble in the regular-season finale against Cleveland, then signed a futures contract with Cincinnati to remain with the team into 2026.