Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519898
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM JUNE/JULY 2024 29 snaps. It just wasn't working out for the rangy burner in blue and gold. The most recent class of 2022 signee to say goodbye to South Bend was punter Bryce McFerson. Though he seemingly had no strong challengers to take his starting spot away, he entered the portal just a few days before the Blue-Gold Game. He was rock steady in his one year as Notre Dame's No. 1 punter, kicking 38 times for an average of 45.1 yards. ✦ Players Signed: 22 Players Available In 2024: 16 (CB Jayden Bellamy transferred to Syracuse, P Bryce McFerson entered the transfer portal in April 2024, Tobias Mer- riweather transferred to Cal, Holden Staes transferred to Tennessee, Joey Tanona transferred to Purdue and Nolan Zeigler transferred to Central Michigan) 2023 Recruiting Rankings: No. 6 by On3 and Rivals, and No. 7 by 247Sports Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Steve Angeli QB 6-2 203 Made his first career start in the Sun Bowl and has completed 34 of 44 passes for 504 yards with 7 touchdowns and 1 interception in his career. Jayden Bellamy S 5-11 180 Transferred to Syracuse in 2022 … Played in 12 games with seven starts and recorded a pick six for the Orange in 2023. Joshua Burnham DE 6-4 252 Slated to serve as RJ Oben's backup at strong-side defensive end … Played 179 defensive snaps as a reserve in 2023. Ty Chan OL 6-5 313 Appeared in two games as a redshirt freshman in 2023 … Serving as a reserve guard in a deep Notre Dame offensive line unit. Ashton Craig OL 6-4 308 Took over as the starting center for Zeke Correll at the end of 2023 and will carry the designation of projected starting center into 2024. Tyson Ford DL 6-4 290 Has logged only 14 defensive snaps in his first two seasons and is still strug- gling to crack the rotation. Aiden Gobaira DL 6-5 249 Missed the 2023 season with an ACL injury and is still working to get healthy for the 2024 campaign. Donovan Hinish DL 6-2 279 Played 100 defensive snaps across 10 games as a reserve in 2023. Bryce McFerson P 6-2 194 Punted 38 times with an average of 45.1 yards per boot in 2023 before enter- ing the transfer portal this spring. Tobias Merriweather WR 6-5 195 Caught 14 passes for 284 yards and 2 touchdowns as a sophomore before transferring to Cal. Jaden Mickey CB 6-0 178 Important depth piece in the Notre Dame cornerback room who played the fourth-most snaps of any Irish corner in 2023. Benjamin Morrison CB 6-0 186 Has been Notre Dame's No. 1 corner for the better part of two seasons … Has 9 career interceptions but goes into the summer nursing a surgically repaired shoulder. Gi'Bran Payne RB 5-9 203 Carved out a role as a short-yardage specialist in 2023 and ran 45 times for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jadarian Price RB 5-10 201 Ran 47 times for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns as a sophomore after missing his freshman season with an Achilles injury. Eli Raridon TE 6-7 252 Has not played a full season yet because of two ACL tears but is finally headed into a summer with full health … Has 5 catches for 51 yards and 1 touchdown in his career. Billy Schrauth OG 6-5 306 Started three games at right guard for the injured Rocco Spindler in 2023 … Could push Spindler for a full-time starting job in 2024. Jaylen Sneed LB 6-1 218 Highest-rated signee (No. 26 overall player per On3) in the class. Should see a serious bump in playing time with Marist Liufau's exit from the program. Holden Staes TE 6-4 242 Caught 15 passes for 176 yards and 4 touchdowns before transferring to Tennessee after last season. Joey Tanona OL 6-5 285 Never appeared in a game in two seasons at Notre Dame because of a head injury before transferring to Purdue. Junior Tuihalamaka DE 6-2 250 Arrived at Notre Dame as a linebacker but has spent the better part of the last year and a half as a reserve defensive end. Aamil Wagner OT 6-6 292 Has played only 52 offensive snaps in his career but could compete for a start- ing job this summer and in fall camp. Nolan Ziegler LB 6-3 240 Appeared in three games for Notre Dame in 2023 after missing the first half of the season for personal reasons … Transferred to Central Michigan. Junior Class Review Cornerback Benjamin Morrison recorded 9 interceptions in his first two seasons, but the former All-American is working his way back from shoul- der surgery. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER