Now that Douglas Farmer has unveiled the consensus top 25, much like last year, I was ready to defend my picks and hot ranking takes…except I don’t think I really need to.

This was perhaps the toughest year to rank the Irish roster and for the best reasons. When I looked back on the consensus rankings, I really didn’t have much of a problem with any variance and was surprised how much I was in line with this little Irish think-tank.

Top 25 Irish for 2019

Consensus Top 25, HLS Unranked

#25 Jayson Ademilola – Ademilola was in a group of five players that just missed my ballot. Really, this was more of a matter of “should I really rank another D-lineman over someone else?” than anything. Yeah, the big guys up front are indeed that good and I already felt like ranked damn near the whole two-deep and that’s just really wild to say.

#20 Jeremiah Owusu-Kormamoah – The downside to this year’s ballot is that we didn’t get the benefit of practice reports or film to watch before we submitted our ballots. Owusu-Kormamoah was absolutely on my radar being the first true rover recruited, but just didn’t have much data on him. I’m quite happy that people more plugged in where already in on him before the reports that he is progressing as hoped so far early in fall camp.

#18 Jarrett Patterson – Patterson was also in my group of five players that I just left off. At the end of the day, again, I didn’t have enough data even though internal scuttlebutt was already rather high on him. Another case of me deciding to take a shot on someone else.

HLS Top 25, Consensus Unranked

Kyle Hamilton (HLS #25) – I believe that this is the first time that I’ve ever done this exercise and only put in one freshman. This is also the first time that my “bottom” three in my ranking were the only ones that didn’t make it. This is also the first time that I believe I’ve grossly under-ranked a freshman.

Unless y’all have been living under a rock, Kyle Hamilton is the damn truth. Ryan Harris dropped by our annual ND Dallas Kickoff event, had the crowd repeat his name over and over, and then said he was going to win a Heisman.

You know what, I wouldn’t doubt it.

Kevin Austin (HLS #24) – I wasn’t the only one that had Austin, who is this year’s double-secret-probation award winner much like Kevin Stepherson and Dexter Williams before him, on their ballot. While I don’t think he’s going to make a Dex-like impact when he finally gets some touches, this kid has loads of talent.

I’m just hoping he gets out of the dog house enough to flash it. Even if he doesn’t, the crew of Chase Claypool, Michael Young, and Chris Finke (all consensus top 25) will be more than enough firepower.

Houston Griffith (HLS #23) – I only worry that Griffith is lost the Kyle Hamilton shuffle right now. There’s good talent there, but it’s a matter of figuring out where to put him and, right now, my gut is the focus is getting Hamilton on to the field first.

Don’t sleep on Griffith though, I’m still expecting a big impact from him before he leaves ND.

Closing Thoughts

How in the world was Jafar Armstrong (Consensus #11, HLS #5) rated so low?! My best guess is there is both a concern of durability from last year’s injury and the fact that he’s a converted WR.

From where I sit, Jafar is a key cog in the Irish offense not just on the ground, but in the passing game as well. Only Dexter Williams had more receptions than Jafar did last season and that kind of a reliable target is key in a spread offense to counter…let’s say a strong front seven of an SEC East favorite on the road.

The biggest variance I had with the crowd was with Shaun Crawford (Consensus #23, HLS #15) which I somewhat expected, but perhaps not with an eight-spot difference. Yes, I understand the health concerns, but that wasn’t the ask. It’s if they play, who’s got the talent.

Bottom line: Crawford makes plays.

In the two games he saw action in 2016, Crawford had a pick. In 2017, he had two INTs, a forced fumble that prevented a Sparty TD (and basically was the turning point in the game), had another fumble recovery against BC, and had 1.5 sacks and 1.5 TFLs to boot.

He’s not going to be the standout stud in the secondary, but there’s a reason why he’s cross-training at nickel and safety right now: ND wants him on the field.

I’m happy to see I’m not on an island this year in ranking Asmar Bilal (Consensus #19, HLS #14), but I’m going to keep stumping for him like I did last season. People see the shifting in positions as a downside of “hasn’t found a fit”, but I see “Bilal plays his way into the starting lineup.”

The only returning players with more TFL in 2018 than Bilal are Khalid Kareem and Julian Okwara–not too shabby for playing a position that’s a linebacker/safety hybrid that wasn’t his “natural” position.

Finally, I would like to take a victory lap from 2018 in being one of the four that had the courage to rank Ian Book (Consensus #2, HLS #3) in their top 25. The only thing I regret was not being the one that had him ranked the highest last season.

The post Notre Dame Roster Top 25 Countdown 2019 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Credit: Detroit Free Press

Brian Kelly and his staff have convinced 21 student-athletes with Michigan offers to commit to Notre Dame, while Jim Harbaugh and his group have persuaded the same number to forgo Notre Dame offers and come to Ann Arbor, according to Her Loyal Sons research.

Michigan and Notre Dame have historically battled for outstanding players in midwestern states, although the skirmish has also expanded to the East Coast and California in the past 20 years.

WOLVERINES GRAB HIGHER RATED TALENT

Michigan has swayed 3 five-stars with Notre Dame offers to join their team, while Notre Dame has landed zero. The Irish have grabbed 16 four-stars to Michigan’s 13, while the Wolverines have 1 more three-star than the Irish group.

Credit: Melanie Maxwell / MLive.com

The six best players, according to Scout’s recruiting rankings, have all headed north: defensive tackle Rashan Gary (#1 overall, class of 2016); wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (#22, 2017); running back Kareem Walker (#28, 2016); offensive tackle Ben Bredeson (#36, 2016); cornerback David Long (#64, 2016) and tight end Devin Assisi (#67, 2016).

Bredeson made eight starts at left guard for the Wolverines last year and appeared in all of their games. He allowed five quarterback hurries, three hits and one sack in 256 pass blocking snaps, according to College Football Film Room. He was also given an honorable mention on the All-Big Ten team. Gary played in all of Michigan’s games as well, registering 26 tackles, nine tackles for loss, eight hurries, eight quarterback hits and just four missed tackles.

Asiasi played sparingly – being targeted just five times and catching 2 passes for 18 yards. Long appeared in four games, mostly on special teams. A quarterback never threw his way when he was in at cornerback, so he didn’t register any stats. Walker was a redshirt.

WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT SO FAR?

Credit: MICHAEL CATERINA / South Bend Tribune

Besides Bredeson’s and Gary’s notable freshman seasons, the Irish have two players who have made equal or greater impacts on their team so far.

Dexter Williams was the first to spurn the Wolverines in favor of the Irish after Harbaugh’s hiring in Ann Arbor on Dec. 30, 2014. The running back has registered 281 yards rushing on 61 carries over two seasons. Williams has also found the end zone four times. At this point, he has proven himself a capable second back behind fellow rising junior Josh Adams.

Kevin Stepherson, a three-star unranked in Scout’s 300, had a surprisingly good freshman campaign, becoming quarterback DeShone Kizer’s third favorite target last year. Stepherson caught 25 balls for 474 yards, good for 14 first downs and five touchdowns.

WHAT’S AHEAD?

Despite posting a 4-8 season, the Irish have grabbed as many highly-rated recruits for their forthcoming class as Michigan.

Brock Wright / Photo: Scout.com

The two teams have split Scout’s top 100 that received offers from both schools. Besides Peoples-Jones, Michigan will be welcoming four-star wide receiver Tarik Black (#90, 2017) and four-star outside linebacker Drew Singleton (#93) in the summer. Notre Dame has four-star tight end Brock Wright (#76) and four-star inside linebacker David Adams (#88) coming to South Bend instead of heading farther north.

We cannot discount timing, however. The Wolverines, fresh off their Orange Bowl appearance, have the momentum of late, grabbing five of the last six commits. Those all came since the college football season started. Four-star offensive tackle Aaron Banks (#163) is the lone individual to choose the Irish over Michigan recently.

KELLY & HARBAUGH AREN’T IMMUNE TO DECOMMITS

Of course, nothing is final with 2017 or 2018 recruits until they fax or e-mail their national letters of intent. Both schools have already seen commits suddenly change their minds.

Leonard Taylor, a three-star defensive end, initially picked the Wolverines over the Irish, but then de-committed before the season started. (He’s currently undecided.) Three-star running back A.J. Dillon also picked Michigan over Notre Dame, but then committed to Boston College shortly before Christmas.

Four-star outside linebacker Pete Werner chose Ohio State after initially picking the Irish. Most recently, four-star cornerback Elijah Hicks enrolled in Cal instead of honoring his verbal commitment to Notre Dame. Hicks held a Michigan offer, among several others.

COMPLETE LIST

The post In Kelly-Harbaugh Recruit Fight, It’s Tied appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

For The Irish: DT Jarron Jones (Sr.), 6-foot-5, 315 lbs

SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 11: Jarron Jones #94 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against Jon Heck #71 of the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium on October 11, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

After missing the entire 2015 season to a torn MCL, the senior defensive tackle is primed to end his Irish career in a big way. The Irish faithful last saw Jarron Jones at Notre Dame Stadium on Nov. 22, 2014 in a game against Louisville. Jones had a successful year in 2014, recording 40 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Jones also has blocked four kicks in his career, two shy of the Notre Dame all-time record. It takes a special type of 315 pound man to barrel through another large man, jump, then block a kick in just about a 2-3 second range.

It is that type of athleticism that makes Jones a top NFL defensive line prospect despite his injury history. Jones underwent surgery after a suffering a Lisfranc injury – basically a bone break mid-foot. NFL scouts see the upside to Jones, comparing him to 2014 46th overall pick Stephon Tuitt. Both players are strong, athletic, lengthy, and are versatile in defensive front schemes. Jones’ strengths include his quickness, flexibility, power, and length. Jones is projected as a late second round pick in pre-season mock drafts.

The talent for Jones is clearly there, but Brian Kelly’s number one concern is obviously his ability to stay on the field. In a defensive line rotation that includes sophomores Elijah Taylor, Jerry Tillery, and five-star recruit Daelin Hayes, Jones and fellow senior Isaac Rochell will be the leaders on the defensive line.

For The Enemy: Michigan State DT Malik McDowell (Jr.), 6-foot-6, 276 lbs

The junior defensive tackle will be the best defensive lineman the Fighting Irish play this season, as he may just be the best defensive tackle in the country. McDowell is listed a top 10 2017 pick and the first defensive tackle off the board. McDowell is the most talented player on the Spartans and will dictate personnel used on the defensive line.

In his 23 career games, McDowell has recorded 54 tackles, 17.5 for loss, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. The five-star recruit has been head coach Mark Dantonio’s biggest recruit and earned second-team All-Big honors. Similar to Jones, McDowell uses his lengthy arms and athleticism to cause havoc on the defensive line.

The post Defensive Line: Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Depth, baby! Everything this fall will revolve around the exceptional depth that has slowly been built year over year. The coaching staff has recruited exceptionally well over the past few years (the 2017 class aka #IRISHEL17E and the 2018 class aka #IrishBouND18 are stacking up quite nicely as well) especially addressing specific positional needs.

The depth is far and above where it has been in years past. The offense returns multiple assets at every position. Proven running backs Tarean Folston and Josh Adams will lead the ground game along with Dexter Williams guaranteed to be fighting for carries.

The offensive line depth is nothing short of incredible considering it lost two future NFL starters from last year in Ronnie Stanley and Nick Martin. Junior guard Quenton Nelson has been named a Sports Illustrated preseason All-American and senior tackle Mike McGlinchey is garnering elite status as the 64th best player in the nation – according to ESPN. These two woolly mammoths will anchor the left side of the offensive line, and the right side anticipates a battle between junior Alex Bars and seniors Hunter Bivin and Colin McGovern.

Tight end, once a surging position of depth, took a hit in the academic ineligibility ruling against Alize Jones. As reported, Jones will miss the entire 2016 season. The return of transferring/not transferring Tyler Luatua provides the group with a huge (255 lbs. pun intended) veteran h-back, and his decision to not transfer now proves to be vital to the position group. Nic Weishar and Durham Smythe are both capable and consistent targets from a three point stance and split wide – this groups presence and overall utility within the red zone should not be understated.

Credit: Matt Cashore

The wide receiver cupboard is full – yet unproven. The only shoe-in to start is senior Torii Hunter Jr. Behind him will be an intriguing battle between Equanimeous St. Brown, Corey Holmes, Miles Boykin, C.J. Sanders, and potentially true freshman/early enrollee Kevin Stepherson. Finishing on the offensive side of the ball, who could forget the quarterback situation, in which the Irish arguably have the most collective talent at the position in the entire nation (including Brandon Wimbush)? *Insert your own opinions about the QB situation* and find my own here.

The defensive line (also unfortunately known as the Irish’s Achilles heel in recent years) is loaded with talent and (FINALLY) depth. Isaac Rochell, Jarron Jones and Daniel Cage are battle tested veterans while Andrew Trumbetti, Jay Hayes, Jerry Tillery, Jonathan Bonner, Micah Dew-Treadway and Elijah Taylor all look to make significant impacts and potentially break out. Also, look for the word “sub packages” to be thrown around as highly talented true freshman defensive ends Daelin Hayes and Khalid Kareem could be utilized as pass rushers in such schemes.

Nyles Morgan (Credit: Chicago Tribune)

Nyles Morgan is an automatic upgrade at the Mike linebacker position, and while replacing the “once in a century” freakish athleticism of Jaylon Smith is no small task, the linebacker corps is well stocked with young talent. Te’von Coney saw limited action last year and is reported to be fully recovered from a shoulder injury suffered in the Fiesta Bowl. His classmates and other blue chip linebacker recruits, Asmar Bilal (2015 defensive scout team player of the year) and Josh Barajas redshirted last year. This young talent will push upperclassmen, Greer Martini and James Onwaulu for reps.

The secondary returns Jekyll and Hyde aka Max Redfield along with sixth year Cal transfer Avery Sebastian and fan favorite Drue Tranquil – all at safety. Garnering spring ball notoriety was true freshman and early enrollee Devin Studstill, who was my “most likely to make an immediate impact” of the 2016 recruiting class.

Rounding out the secondary at cornerback is senior multi year starter Cole Luke along with juniors Nick Watkins and Devin Butler. They are surrounded by younger talent in sophomore Nick Coleman and Shaun Crawford, who was slated to be the team’s starting nickel back last year until suffering a torn ACL in fall camp. Crawford drew incredibly high praise during the 2015 fall camp before his injury, and his return provides a massive athletic boost to the secondary.

Credit: UHND.com

Over the past few years the Notre Dame special teams have often been regarded as the “not-so-special teams.” Last year, however, the group made great strides and improvements. Returning “The Big Three” key specialists in kicker Justin Yoon, punter Tyler Newsome, and long snapper Scott Daly should pay dividends for the special teams in 2016. DeShone Kizer has been relieved of his holding duties and he will be replaced by Montgomery VanGorder. The Irish also have the luxury of Sanders’ electric and ever-elusive return skills. As a true freshman, Sanders returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown last season. The special teams should continue to build off of last year’s success.

With the well-rounded depth in place, #NDFB is primed for an entertaining fall. Don’t forget that it is your civic duty as a Domer to recite one Hail Mary each day of camp for the shake of keeping this vital depth healthy!

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post Analyzing the Fall Camp Depth Chart appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Holmes, a 5-foot-11, 200 pound dynamo out of Chesire Academy (CT), is at Nike’s The Opening camp this week in Oregon.

Holmes attended Irish Invasion and had previously admitted he considered committing at that time. He held offers from Alabama, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and UCLA, among others. He released a top four of Alabama, Michigan, Penn State and Syracuse on Monday, then chastised tweeters for insisting they knew where he would play.

idk why the world is trying to tell me where im going lmaooo! Watch me break twitter on July 8th. ?

— ㅤ (@CjHo1mes) July 5, 2016

Credit: @CjHo1mes / Twitter

Brian Dohn, a Scout recruiting analyst, said he didn’t read much into Holmes’ tweets.

“You go back and you look, he visited Notre Dame and he comes out of the Notre Dame visit saying he almost committed and then he said he’s going to announce at The Opening,” he told Irish Illustrated. “What changed? Then you don’t put Notre Dame in it? He’s just having a little fun. Let a kid be a kid.”

Tom Loy, a recruiting analyst for 247Sports, recently praised the Connecticut product, saying, “After seeing Holmes at the Irish Invasion, he immediately jumped on my radar as one of the most talented offensive weapons nationally. There is very little he can’t do. He is shifty and quick in space, he catches the ball comfortably out of the backfield, he can split out wide and fill in as a receiver on command, and he even has the athleticism and hips to play defensive back if that was required. Holmes is the definition of an elite athlete and it’s no surprise why so many schools have him high on their board.”

Previous to Holmes’ commitment, 247Sports already considered Notre Dame to have the 8th best recruiting class in 2017 with 13 commits. Holmes is considered by that site to be the second best Connecticut prospect, 20th best “athlete,” and 292nd best player overall.

Bleacher Report, which also released the commitments of Irish players Parker Boudreaux and Daelin Hayes,  handled today’s announcement.

With C.J. Holmes’ commitment, the 2017 Irish will feature WRs C.J. Sanders and Corey Holmes and RB C.J. Holmes. I suppose we can be thankful C.J. Prosise is no longer on the team.

Robert Hainsey, a four-star offensive lineman from Florida’s IMG Academy, is expected to announce his commitment on Sunday from The Opening. Notre Dame is considered by recruiting experts to be the destination for 6-foot-4, 276 pound talent.

The post After Trolling ND Fans, C.J. Holmes Is All Irish appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

All have already picked their numbers, with some announcing them through social media. Here’s the rundown:

#12 QB IAN BOOK: Book sported #11 in high school, which is currently sported by redshirt sophomore running back Justin Brent. Book said last Tuesday that he’ll be wearing #12, which was most recently worn by fellow quarterback Brandon Wimbush. Wimbush, a sophomore, will be wearing #7 this year, which was most previously worn by wide receiver Will Fuller. Fuller is now in the NFL with the Houston Texans, where he wears #15 – the same number he sported his freshman year at Notre Dame.

#50 OG PARKER BOUDREAUX: The Orlando, Fla. product wore #56 in high school, but that’s fellow guard Quenton Nelson’s number. Boudreaux said last Tuesday he’ll be wearing #50, which was defensive lineman-turned-tight-end Chase Hounsell’s number in 2014.

#83 WR CHASE CLAYPOOL: Claypool wore #21 in high school. Junior cornerback Nick Watkins sported #21 last year, although that wouldn’t preclude Claypool from wearing it on offense. The Abbotsford, British Columbia product has decided to wear #83 instead. That number was worn by Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija when he played wide receiver at Notre Dame. It was most recently worn by Jalen Guyton, who was suspended and is no longer with the team.

#74 OT LIAM EICHENBERG: Blue & Gold Illustrated’s Andrew Owens reports that Eichenberg will wear #74, but I haven’t been able to independently confirm that. (Eichberg has private accounts on Twitter and Instagram.) Eichenberg wore that number in high school and it was last worn by an Irish player – right guard Christian Lombard – in 2014.

#21 CB JALEN ELLIOTT: Elliot wore #1 in high school. Elliott’s new coach, Todd Lyght, wore than number in college for the Irish, but #1 is being reserved for special recognition this year. Elliott decided instead to wear #21, with Watkins switching to #7. No one has worn #7 on defense since Stephon Tuitt left in the university 2013 and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

DE JAMIR JONES: Jones, as far as I can tell, has not announced his number publicly. The upstate New York product wore #15 in both football, basketball and lacrosse for his high school last year. Corey Holmes wears that number on offense, but there’s no one currently assigned to that number on defense. Safety Dan McCarthy, a member of the 2012 team, was the last to sport that number as a member of the Irish defense.

LB JONATHAN JONES: Jones wore #45 in high school, which was most recently sported by defensive end Romeo Okwara. Okwara was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants. I’ve looked at his social media accounts, but they don’t seem to include an announcement on a jersey number.

RB TONY JONES JR.: Jones has not announced his jersey number on social media, to my knowledge. The IMG Academy product wore both #4 in football and in baseball this past year. That number is worn on offense by junior QB Montgomery “Gummy” VanGorder and on defense by linebacker Te’von Coney.

#78 OT TOMMY KRAEMER: Kraemer is looking to fill big shoes with the departure of tackle Ronnie Stanley, who was drafted by the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. What better way to get started than taking over Stanley’s #78? Kraemer, who attended Elder High School in Cincinnati, also picked the number as tribute to St. Xavier’s Matt James. James, a Notre Dame commit, died after falling from a fifth-floor balcony. Luke Massa, St. Xavier’s quarterback, wore #78 on his senior day at Notre Dame to honor James. (Stanley wore #69 that day.)

#27 CB JULIAN LOVE: Love wore #20 in high school. Again, no one is listed on Notre Dame’s spring chart as wearing #20. (RB C.J. Prosise, now with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, wore it last year.) However, Love decided on #27 instead. That means redshirt freshman linebacker Asmar Bilal is getting a new number, which is reportedly #22. (That was last worn by safety Elijah Shumate. Shumate is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.)

RB DEON MCINTOSH: McIntosh has not announced his jersey number on social media. He wore #1 in high school, but Irish Coach Brian Kelly has already indicated a different individual will be wearing that number every week.

WR JAVON MCKINLEY: As of June 9, McKinley said he did not know what number he’d be wearing. The California product wore #88 in high school, which was worn by senior Corey Robinson last year. Robinson announced Wednesday that he will forgo his senior season after suffering multiple concussions.

#32 S D.J. MORGAN: Morgan wore #27 in high school. Did Love beat him to the number? If Morgan’s Twitter announcement is any indication, he wanted a new number for a fresh start. He picked #32 and included pictures of fellow #32s – Chargers defensive back Eric Weddle and Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu. Two walk-ons – WR Cam Bryan and S Nick Ossello – wore #32 last year.

DE ADETOKUNBO OGUNDEJI: Ade wore #80 with his high school football team and #34 with the basketball team. To my knowledge, he has not announced his number.

#42 DE JULIAN OKWARA: Okwara, the younger brother of former Irish football player Romeo Okwara, wore #8 in high school. That’s sixth-year safety Avery Sebastian’s number. Okwara has decided on #42. The most famous Irish player to wear #42 was linebacker Michael Stonebreaker, part of Notre Dame’s last national championship team in 1988. Sophomore kicker/punter walk-on Jeff Riney wears #42 on offense. Walk-on linebacker Jimmy Thompson was also listed as #42 in the spring.

CB TROY PRIDE JR.: Pride said in a May 19 interview with Blue & Gold Illustrated that he has a fondness for the number 17, which he first wore during Little League. The South Carolina speedster wore #5 in high school, but said he didn’t care what number he was assigned. “I could be a number 63, and I’ll go out there and be a lockdown 63,” he told the publication. Linebacker James Onwualu wears #17 for the Irish and #5 is worn by fellow linebacker Nyles Morgan.

Credit: Instagram

#54 LS JOHN SHANNON: Shannon wore #42 in high school, which classmate Julian Okwara has already claimed. Shannon announced on Instagram that he’d be sporting #54, which is also worn by defensive lineman Lincoln Feist. It was also worn in 2011 by inside linebacker Anthony McDonald and in 2007 by outside linebacker Anthony Vernaglia. No offensive player has worn #54 in more than a decade.

Early enrollees:

• DE Daelin Hayes is wearing #9, last worn by LB Jaylon Smith. Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, and is wearing #54 with them.
• DE Khalid Kareem is wearing #53, which is also worn by OL Sam Mustipher on offense and last worn on defense by DL Justin Utupo in 2014.
• S Devin Studstill was wearing #13, which was last worn on defense by outside linebacker Danny Spond, who last played in 2013. (Blue & Gold Illustrated reports he’s switching to #14.)
• S Spencer Perry is wearing #31, which was worn last year by safety John Turner. Turner graduated.
• WR Kevin Stepherson is wearing #29 in honor of a high school teammate, Johnnel Johnson, who was shot and killed by a classmate at a house party. Kicker Sam Kohler, a walk-on, is also wearing #29.

Blue & Gold Illustrated has a good rundown of the non-freshmen who are switching jersey numbers.

The post Freshman Reveal Jersey Numbers appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

1. Brandon Wimbush (II Staff: #2)

Credit: UND.com

If you consider the question, you’ll notice it’s a little tricky.

“Who among the three dozen will have the best careers at Notre Dame?”

Brandon Wimbush is a quarterback with all the tools: strong arm, fleet of foot and accurate. I’m not certain that he’s going to demonstrate that talent at Notre Dame, however.

Here’s what the quarterback depth chart could look like in 2017 (in alphabetical order):

IAN BOOK – Redshirt freshman; 4 years eligibility remaining
AVERY DAVIS – True freshman; 4 years eligibility remaining
DESHONE KIZER – Redshirt junior; 2 years eligibility remaining
BRANDON WIMBUSH – Redshirt sophomore; 3 years eligibility remaining
MALIK ZAIRE – 5th year; 1 year eligibility remaining

I put Wimbush at No. 1 because I’m betting he gets two years as a starter. Here’s my guess: Kizer beats Zaire for the starting job this year and does well enough to declare for the NFL Draft. Zaire graduates and transfers to another school for a one-year shot at making an impression on NFL teams. Wimbush starts 2017 and beats out Davis, Book and true freshman Phil Jurkovec to be chief signal caller in 2018 as well. Is this an optimistic view of Notre Dame football that does not include quarterbacks getting injured or struggling? You bet it is.

2. Tommy Kraemer (II Staff: #3)

Tommy Kraemer is a five-star offensive lineman who enters Notre Dame with more hype than Ronnie Stanley, who just got picked sixth overall in the NFL Draft. The 6-foot-5, 310 pound right tackle is praised for his “outstanding wide base, combined with a low pad level while showing balance every step of the way.” He’s also impressed scouts for his ability to “sustain and finish his blocks” and his “comfortability” with playing either the right or left side.

I picked Kraemer because the decks have been cleared for him to make an immediate impact. Stanley and Nick Martin are in the NFL. Steve Elmer has left football to join the business world. Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson probably have the left side locked down, but the middle and right is still an open competition. I see Kraemer pushing Alex Bars, Sam Mustipher and Hunter Bivin and Tristen Hoge and making the two-deep at some point in the 2016 season. It’s a guarantee if there’s injury to one of the six “incumbents” mentioned.

3. Shaun Crawford (II Staff: #1)

Credit: UND.com

I really like Shaun Crawford. I like his hustle. I like his doggedness to play as hard as he could during the spring game although he was supposed to be taking it easy. He always seems to be where the ball is going to be – and half the time it seems like he’s sticking his hand out before the ball can even get to the receiver. After tearing his ACL his freshman season, Crawford dedicated himself to studying film and learning the playbook. I like that he didn’t lose focus.

Here’s what concerns me about Shaun Crawford. He’s 5-foot-9, which is small in a position where getting vertical is essential. And he’s a largely unknown commodity, having never played a down of real college football. I’m almost 5-foot-9 myself, so I always root for the little guys. Crawford will be no exception. But for the Irish Illustrated staff to say he’ll have the best career out of three dozen (plus) guys? I think that’s a tad too optimistic.

4. Corey Holmes (II Staff: Unranked)

Credit: UND.com

If the Irish Illustrated guys are too high on Crawford, then they are definitely too low on Corey Holmes. Now removed from the shadow of Will Fuller and Chris Brown, Holmes is poised to have a break out year. I’ve written extensively on why I believe Holmes should start this year, and that was before we learned he clocked a 4.41 second 40-yard dash and jumped 41 inches vertically (which is 7 inches higher than Will Fuller at the NFL Combine).

I’m expecting Holmes to be the Irish’s No. 1 or No. 2 receiver for the next two years. The beat writers are higher on Torii Hunter Jr. – and many still like the attributes of Equanimeous St. Brown. But Holmes has remained healthy, unlike Hunter and St. Brown, and he’s my fourth pick for a great Notre Dame career.

5. Donte Vaughn (II Staff: #10)

I love Donte Vaughn because he is so freakin’ tall for a cornerback. Six-foot-three?! He’s as tall as Richard Sherman, with beautiful long limbs that can frustrate wide receivers trying to get a jump off the line. Forget about the end zone corner fade. Unless he stumbles or is slow to make a redirect, Vaughn is going to have a good chance in any jump ball situation.

Even if Vaughn doesn’t develop the loose hips or backpedal needed to excel at cornerback, he could easily find a home at either safety or outside linebacker. I’d love to see him develop as a guy who can just neutralize a team’s best receiver, however.

6. Daelin Hayes (II Staff: #4)

Credit: Tim Sullivan / Detroit Free Press

I honestly considered putting freshman defensive end Daelin Hayes at the top of this list. I also strongly considered leaving him off the list entirely.

Hayes’ high school career can be summed up in one phrase: brief flashes of brilliance. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound power pass rusher attended four high schools and saw limited action because of two shoulder injuries, a custody battle and some transfer rules. When he did play, people were impressed with his “innate quickness,” “low center of gravity,” and mental toughness.

Hayes wore a no-contact jersey throughout Notre Dame’s spring practice, as he was still recovering from shoulder surgery. Writers were impressed with what little they saw of Hayes during drills. Notre Dame desperately needs a pass rush to complement whatever Isaac Rochell can produce from the other end. Look for a healthy Hayes to push junior Andrew Trumbetti for playing time.

7. Devin Studstill (II Staff: #8)

Scout.com photo

Max Redfield once quipped that learning Mandarin Chinese was easier than understanding the full complexities of Brian VanGorder’s defense. To my knowledge, Devin Studstill doesn’t know a lick of the world’s most popular language. But the 6-foot, 190 pound product ingested enough of the Notre Dame scheme to take first team reps away from Redfield this spring.

Although VanGorder denied promoting Studstill to put a fire under Redfield, I still think the safety position is the senior’s to lose. Redfield was nursing a minor ankle injury this spring, which hopefully won’t extend into the summer.

Besides Studstill’s ability to interpret the scheme and translate it to others, he’s been praised for his excellent ball location skills. There’s a lot of bodies in the defensive backfield. But, so far, Studstill is standing shoulders above the rest.

8. Chase Claypool (II Staff: #7)

Chase Claypool is a guy with tremendous upside who hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself against the best competition. He runs a respectable 4.6 second 40-yard-dash for a man that is 6-foot-5, 215 pounds. It’ll be interesting to see where he shakes out. He could be a tight end or a wide receiver. Or, if neither pans out, he may make a respectable linebacker. Claypool has been able to rely on his physical gifts in a weaker Canadian high school league, so he’s got room to improve – especially when it comes to route running. But because of his versatility, his size and his hands, he makes my list.

9. Jay Hayes (II Staff: Unranked)

Credit: UND.com

We’ve come a very long way from Jay Hayes tweeting in frustration over his perceived lack of advancement on the defensive line. With Grant Blankenship’s future very much in doubt, Hayes has one less competitor at the weak-side defensive end position. Hayes provides more power than speed, which will likely force him to split reps – at least initially – with the quicker Andrew Trumbetti. Daelin Hayes could compete for playing time here or slide into Rochell’s spot for the 2017 season.

Hayes is one of the bigger, more jovial presences on the team. Surely moving from defensive tackle to defensive end has been tough on him. But he’s got three more seasons of eligibility left to prove himself as a presence to be reckoned with on the line.

10. Troy Pride Jr. (II Staff: #5)

Photo: 247sports.com

I put Troy Pride Jr. at the #10 position mostly for his achievements not on the football field, but in track and field. Pride took home 4 South Carolina Class AAA track titles last month, including the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash events. His fourth medal was in the 4-by-100 relay event.

Pride Jr. was listed at 160 pounds when he committed in December, but seems to have added about 15 pounds since then. He’s average height for a cornerback at 6 feet, but I’m worried it’ll take him a little while to adjust to his newer, beefier frame. It’s going to be a necessity, though, if he wants to win those physical matchups at the line.

By including Crawford, Vaughn, Studstill and Pride in my “top rookies” list, I’m almost assuredly wrong about someone in defensive backfield. But, hey, let’s hope they all work out!

TIDBITS

Irish Illustrated put freshman wide receiver Kevin “K.J.” Stepherson at #6 on their list and freshman offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg at #9.

So who is on your list? Here are the candidates to consider, per Irish Illustrated:

• Redshirt sophomores Brandon Wimbush, Justin Brent, Jay Hayes and Corey Holmes
• 10 redshirt-freshmen from 2015: Josh Barajas, Asmar Bilal, Miles Boykin, Shaun Crawford, Micah Dew-Treadway, Tristen Hoge, Trevor Ruhland, Elijah Taylor, Brandon Tiassum, and Ashton White.
• The 23 players in the class of 2016.

Leave your rankings in the comments below.

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SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 11: Jarron Jones #94 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against Jon Heck #71 of the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium on October 11, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

It has been no secret that the Irish defense has significantly lacked a strong and consistent pass rush the past few seasons under Brian VanGorder’s defensive system.

Yes, there have been flashes of well-designed blitzes and convincing individual performances. We all remember the thorough dismembering and countless cans of whoop ass that were opened on Michigan in 2014. How could anyone forget this marvelous shutout? (Quick update: Michigan still hasn’t scored). This was the game we were all formally introduced to the mustache riding, fist pumping, turn down for what defensive coordinator we collectively crushed on for a week.

It was also just a year ago that Romeo Okwara recorded three sacks in one game against Wake Forest. Okwara lead the team with 8 sacks, which was 45th best last year. Alabama, the reigning national champion, lead the country in sacks with 52, more than double Notre Dame’s lackluster output of 25. The Irish were tied for 74th in the country. As explosive as the Irish offense was last year, #NDnation drools at the thought of 10 more sacks potentially putting the offense in even better positions to light up the scoreboard. Since 25 sacks won’t cut it, is there any reason to believe this number will improve?

Yes – the defense will generate a better pass rush than last year. In terms of pass/fail, I would set the goal at 33 sacks. That output last year would have put the Irish in the top 30. I believe they’ll have a more effective pass rush than last year for two main reasons: depth and upgraded athleticism at key pass rush positions.

DEPTH

The defensive line has been a frustrating group to follow over the past few years. Depth has been a nagging issue. Sheldon Day and Romeo Okwara have left behind large voids, but there is still reason to be optimistic about the defensive line. There’s an intriguing mix of inexperience and veteran presences.

Daelin Hayes (und.com)

Daelin Hayes and Khalid Kareem, two early enrollees, provide much needed depth, talent and overall star power. The pair, who both hail from Michigan, were top rated defensive linemen within the recruiting class. Hayes was once a U$C commit and Kareem was pledged to Alabama. They’ll be pushing redshirt freshmen Elijah Taylor and Michah Dew-Treadway, big bodies that are expected to compete for supporting roles.

Sophomore Jerry Tillery – star of Showtime’s “A Season With” documentary series – and battle-tested juniors Daniel Cage and Andrew Trumbetti will be staples on the defensive line this year. All three will be crucial to the group’s success and bring a different attribute to the line. Tillery is a highly cerebral defensive tackle with above average athleticism, giving him the ability to wreak havoc in opposing backfields. Cage is a 315-pound defensive tackle that often requires a double team in the middle of the defense, thus allowing linebackers to roam more freely. Trumbetti has seen two years of work at defensive end and has shown bursts and flickers of becoming a true rush end.

Unproven junior Jonathon Bonner finds himself in a curious grey area. Brian Kelly explained that Bonner was one of the “impressive up-and-comers” of the 2015 spring season; however, Bonner was unable to translate this praise onto the playing field on Saturdays.

Moving into 2016, Bonner explained to Blue and Gold Illustrated that he has settled in and become far more comfortable with his position.

“I do (feel myself getting better).  I actually feel a difference this year compared to even the end of last year. Workouts are much better and you can use everything in your toolbox from last year and really put it into play during spring ball.” Minimally, Bonner provides the defense with additional depth, and has potential to become a solid situational player within the defensive line rotation.

Finally, promising NFL prospects Isaac Rochell and Jarron Jones will set the tone for the group and will likely have the biggest impact on its success.

Jones returns this year after missing the entire 2015 season due to a fall camp knee injury. Jones’ long frame – 6-foot-5.5, 315 lbs. – is uncharacteristic for a defensive tackle. If he can develop an ability to leverage this length against his defenders, he could become incredibly difficult to block.

Rochell has the versatility and experience to play both tackle and end. He is anticipated to fill the leadership void within the position group that departed with Sheldon Day’s graduation. He is also one of my picks as a potential captain.

This evenly distributed amount of talent creates depth that has been dreadfully needed. With this depth in place, it would be a pleasant change of pace to see far more rotation on the defensive line compared to last season. Great defenses, especially defensive lines, have the ability to platoon players in and out, thus keeping the big bodies fresh for key snaps. Notre Dame has not had this luxury in recent seasons, but barring any (*FEROCIOUSLY KNOCKS ON WOOD*) injuries, the Irish should be able to create a steady and fresh rotation of defensive linemen.

UPGRADED ATHLETICISM

The BVG defensive scheme doesn’t shy away from a blitz or two (or three or four or…. you get it).  Sadly, a number of blitzes and a number of sacks are not directly correlated.  Last year, Irish fans witnessed a heavy dose of blitzes that failed to get home – many executed by Mike (middle) linebacker Joe Schmidt. This isn’t the time or place to debate Schmidt’s play, but it’s fair to say that when he blitzed, he rarely got home – twice to be exact.

Nyles Morgan (Credit: Chicago Tribune)

This upcoming year the defense will feature Nyles Morgan at Mike linebacker, and it’s with complete confidence that I conclude this will be an upgrade at the position. Morgan was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team, and to the Sporting News Freshman All-America Team in 2014. Many (including myself) were clamoring for Morgan to get more reps last year, but this simply didn’t happen. Many assumed it was due to a lack of totally understanding defensive schemes.  Morgan addresses this notion along with other intricacies of his position in a “Close Up” interview with WatchND.

Morgan is primed for a breakout year. His overall athleticism and three-year knowledge of the defensive scheme will produce vast improvements in the pass rush and in the defense as a whole.

Irish fans not only saw a bevy of blitzes from the linebackers, but also from the nickelback position. In the past few years, Matthias Farley often made a living firing off the line of scrimmage as a nickelback into opposing teams’ backfields. Redshirt freshman Shaun Crawford was going to be the team’s starting nickelback in 2015 before suffering a season ending injury in fall camp. He’ll be starting this year for sure. Crawford’s “quick twitch” agility and speed should be a deadly combination enabling him to come off the edge as an unexpected pass rusher. His pure athleticism, similar to Morgan, will be an upgrade at the position and a threat to opposing backfields.

Pairing the depth that has been created on the defensive line with the talent upgrades at other key pass rush positions, the Irish defense is in good position to improve from last year’s performance and inflict chaos on opposing pass protections.

Previous 5 Questions:

Will Another Star Receiver Emerge in ’16?

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Defensive line coach Keith Gilmore’s defensive front will face a number of challenges due to personnel changes and the development of defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder’s scheme, but has a good shot at being more disruptive up front than last year’s squad. We’ve seen a blitz work at times for Van Gorder when linebackers and others in the secondary crashed the line. Unfortunately, there have been many more times when the four linemen have been unable to get to the quarterback to force a sack or simply to get him out of the comfort of the pocket.

For 2016, that will have to change and Gilmore’s immediate challenge will be filling the shoes of Sheldon Day. The former captain started in 11 games in 2015 and amassed 40 tackles, another 24 of the individual variety while adding on seven and a half tackles for loss.

With the return of Jarron Jones, Gilmore has an opportunity to place him in Day’s spot on the line and possibly slide freshman Jerry Tillery over. The senior had a very successful 2014 campaign and was expected to be part of a one-two punch on the line until he was injured during fall camp in 2015. His return for the Fiesta Bowl showed he still had the ability to disrupt an offense. But, given his limited snaps, it remains to be seen if he is back at 100 percent.

Jerry Tillery (UND.com)

“When you break rules, that’s something that gets taken away. I know how lucky we are to be here. I’m not perfect. This definitely proves that if you’re given a lot, it can be taken away,” Tillery said. There is still no clear explanation as to what happened in Arizona but to be honest, that’s water under the bridge now.

Daelin Hayes (und.com)

Daniel Cage, Isaac Rochell, Andrew Trumbetti, Micah Dew-Treadway, Jonathan Bonner, John Montelus, Elijah Taylor, Pete Mokwuah and Brandon Tiassum are all veterans angling for available reps and with potential to reach. Early enrollee Khalid Kareem is vying for a spot on the team.

UPDATE: Per several sites, including 247 Sports, Brian Kelly has said Grant Blankenship has been suspended from for a violation of team rules and does not know if he will return to the team. 

“That’s yet to be determined,” Kelly said after Friday’s practice. “The standards that are set within the program have not been met, so I’ll meet with him after the spring game and we’ll decide what the course is from here on out.”

The post Blue Gold Game Preview: Defensive Line appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Jonathan Jones (Photo courtesy of Student Sports)

anyone who followed this class would’ve have said that before Signing Day. But given that Caleb Kelly committed to Oklahoma – despite the Irish pushing hard until the end – and Ben Davis signing with Alabama, Jones “saved” the class, at least on the defensive side of the ball.

Daelin Hayes, a 247sports composite four-star OLB and early enrollee, is certainly the player with higher expectations but it’s not yet clear what position he’ll end up at. So it’s Jones who will give the Irish depth at a position group that has lots of uncertainty heading into spring practice. Joe Schmidt and Jaylon Smith were the top two tacklers on the team. Te’Von Coney is recovering from injury. And Nyles Morgan – the only five-star linebacker on the roster – hasn’t been heard from in quite some time.

Jones, who was recruited primarily by Autry Denson, played at Oak Ridge High in Orlando. He appeared in The Opening, and is a 247sports composite .8745 rated player. For some context, Hayes is rated at .9371 and Caleb Kelly comes in at .9835.

Let’s be clear: Jones would be a developmental guy, probably heading towards a redshirt freshman season in more favorable roster scenarios. But where the linebacker group is with James Onwualu, Greer Martini, Morgan and Coney – and with Hayes’ injury history and position questions – Jones getting meaningful reps next season is a real possibility.  

Jamir Jones, the other linebacker in this class, could show up in spring practice and push Jonathan Jones on the depth chart, but most analysts have Jamir as longer term prospect, and there is some talk of moving him to defensive end, which is why he factors less in this discussion at this point.

So, Jonathan Jones is the guy who fills the gap in the depth chart. At least until Brian Kelly decides to convert a running back or safety.

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