Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2021 25 injury. With Patterson back healthy at the pivot, Correll shifted over to left guard. It looks like that's where the 6-3, 295-pounder will find a per- manent home. He isn't the biggest offensive line- man on the Notre Dame roster by any means, but Kelly said he likes what Correll brings to the line from an intangibles standpoint. He's smart, crafty and knows how to do his job in a way that makes it easier for his teammates to do theirs. T15. CB CAM HART At 6-2½ and 207 pounds, Hart passes the eye test for a boundary corner — a critical position in Marcus Freeman's defense. He's the favorite to start there as a junior after a strong offseason but has played just 91 career snaps. A layer of mystery surrounds him. Hart's physical tools make him an enticing on-paper choice at the boundary spot. His spring season was intriguing and a good start to his offseason development. The Irish need a strong finish to it in fall camp to solidify a position that has suffered recently from average recruiting in the 2018 and 2019 classes. T17. S HOUSTON GRIFFITH Seldom do players enter the NCAA transfer portal only to walk that deci- sion back and return to the program they were trying to move away from, but that's just what Griffith did — and it could pay huge dividends for himself and Notre Dame in 2021. Griffith, a senior, is the favorite to start at the second safety spot oppo- site junior Kyle Hamilton. He spoke with confidence during the first week of fall camp, saying the transfer portal fiasco is well behind him by now. He's focused on being a leader on and off the field for Notre Dame in 2021. T17. OT JOSH LUGG A surefire starter — presumably at right tackle — Lugg has made eight career starts, the second-most of any returning Notre Dame lineman. He has played three positions in his ca- reer and is the only lineman on the roster who has started at tackle. Lugg filled in admirably at right tackle in 2019 after starter Robert Hain- sey suffered a season-ending injury. His three starts on the interior line last year brought mixed results, and he struggled with a lingering back injury in 2020. But he is healthy and feels more mobile heading into the season. The Poll The top 25 was determined in the same manner as the Associated Press Top 25. Five Blue & Gold Illustrated writers submitted their ballots, and each position on the ballot was given a point value. The top ranking was worth 25 points, No. 2 was worth 24, No. 3 worth 23 and so on down until No. 25, which was worth one point. The players with the 25 highest point totals made the list. Rk. Name, Position Points 1. Kyle Hamilton, S 122 2. Michael Mayer, TE 114 3. Jack Coan, QB 113 4. Kyren Williams, RB 112 5. Jarrett Patterson, C 104 6. Isaiah Foskey, DE 96 7. Cain Madden, OG 85 8. Clarence Lewis, CB 83 9. Kevin Austin Jr., WR 82 10. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, DT 70 11. Drew White, LB 68 12. Jack Kiser, LB 53 13. Kurt Hinish, DT 50 14. Blake Fisher, OT 47 15. Zeke Correll, OG 46 Cam Hart, CB 46 17. Houston Griffith, S 45 Josh Lugg, OT 45 19. Avery Davis, WR 44 20. Chris Tyree, RB 43 21. Jayson Ademilola, DT 36 22. Braden Lenzy, WR 28 23. Drew Pyne, QB 27 24. Marist Liufau, LB 15 25. Jonathan Doerer, K 13 Others receiving points: WR Joe Wilkins Jr. (13, lost tiebreaker), CB TaRiq Bracy (8), LB Shayne Simon (7), TE George Takacs (4), DE Jordan Botelho (2), DT Rylie Mills (2), LB Bo Bauer (2) Senior Houston Griffith, who initially entered his name into the transfer portal only to pull it out and return to Notre Dame, is a favorite to start at safety next to All-America candidate Kyle Hamilton. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER