Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com AUGUST 2021 27 BY PATRICK ENGEL N otre Dame's junior class is a case study in development. In 2019, just three of its 22 members did not use a redshirt. In 2020, six players from the group started at least one game and three more had season-long ro- tational roles. Running back Kyren Williams joined safety Kyle Hamilton as an indispensable piece. And in 2021, Notre Dame could re- alistically have eight starters and four other contributors from its junior class — a group that was ranked no higher than 14th by any of the major services. More than half of those 12 potential key players this fall were three-star prospects, including Williams. Even as Notre Dame waits for a couple of the class' highest-ranked recruits to take a leap — and even after two former top-150 prospects transferred — it still projects as a fruitful haul. For comparison, the 2018 class yielded just two season-long junior- year starters. The 2017 group had seven, and 2016 nine. Notre Dame has developed talent well enough that it didn't need to press the 2019 class into action as freshmen, but it still found room for those who proved they could help right away. Several of the players who needed more time have made noticeable improvements. The group's strength so far is de- fense, while its offensive impact outside of Williams and center Zeke Correll is more limited. The discrep- ancy is not a shock when consider- ing the low number of skill position players signed. The class had one quarterback, one running back, two wide receivers and zero tight ends. One of the receivers, Cam Hart, is now a cornerback. The other, Kend- all Abdur-Rahman, transferred after two quiet seasons. The defensive side boasted four linebackers, four defensive backs (five with Hart) and five linemen (four with Hunter Spears now on offense). Eight of the 12 four-star recruits were defensive players. A larger and earlier impact on that side of the ball was and remains the ex- pected outcome. It is, though, a bit surprising only one of the four former four-star of- fensive linemen (Correll) is in serious contention to start heading into fall camp. John Olmstead transferred af- ter a year. Quinn Carroll was primar- ily a second-team player this spring. Andrew Kristofic is still competing for a starting job, but the addition of Marshall graduate transfer guard Cain Madden dents those hopes. On paper, the offensive line was the class' strongest position when it signed. It still has time to become that, but through two years, it hasn't been. Eight 2021 starters from the 2019 recruiting haul is probably the best- case scenario. The worst-case feels like five. That's a high ceiling and a high floor that represents impact and depth despite less than ideal posi- tional balance. Who's entrenched in the lineup? Who is competing to start? Which players are likely to be in the rota- tion? What's the outlook for some others who are still trying to crack the two-deep? Here's an in-depth look at the class and an attempt to answer those questions. FIVE LINCHPINS Notre Dame's coaching staff knew early in 2019 training camp it could not justify a redshirt year for Ham- ilton, even with two senior starters at safety. The Irish gave punter Jay Bramblett a scholarship expecting him to take over that job when he arrived. Nose tackle Jacob Lacey impressed as an early enrollee and played 247 snaps as Kurt Hinish's backup in 2019 — a role that was an underappreciated need at the time. A shoulder injury limited Lacey to 149 snaps in 11 games in 2020, but the other two ascended as sophomores. Hamilton became a consensus All- American and established himself as a potential top-10 draft pick heading into his junior year. Bramblett bumped his punting average up by 3.4 yards. A few others emerged as sopho- mores. Defensive end Isaiah Foskey built on an exciting four-game fresh- man sample with 4.5 sacks in 2020. His production waned in the second half, but he enters 2021 as the heavy front- runner to start at vyper defensive end. Foskey's development is not yet complete, but the athletic gifts have evoked visions of a dominant edge rusher once he refines and adds to his technique. Defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman is quick to remind of his youth. "Foskey hasn't played a whole lot of football," Freeman said in April. "That's a point of emphasis. We need to continue to get his football intelli- gence up, and get him reps and reps and reps." O n o ff e n s e , K y re n Wi l l i a m s grabbed ahold of the No. 1 running back job in fall camp and has not let it go. He rushed for 1,125 yards and 13 touchdowns on 211 carries. He also caught 35 passes, which ranked third on the team. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees plans to increase his workload even more. One of Williams' blockers this year will be Correll, the center who started twice in place of the injured Jarrett Patterson late in the year. Head coach Brian Kelly said this spring Correll is keeping the center job, with Patter- son moving elsewhere. Hamilton, Williams, Foskey, Cor- rell and Bramblett are all but assured starting jobs. Hinish's return using the COVID-19 blanket waiver to play a fifth season means Lacey will wait un- til 2022 for a chance to start, but he's expected to remain involved in 2021. OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE The junior class can reach eight 2021 starters rests if Marist Liufau claims Will linebacker duties, Jack Kiser wins the rover job and Cam HIGH IMPACT The Irish junior class is poised to have double-digit contributors in 2021 Safety Kyle Hamilton was a 2020 consensus All- American and led Notre Dame with 63 tackles last season. PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER