Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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These 11 players received at least one vote in the top 25 polls submit- ted by five Blue & Gold Illustrated staff members. Sophomore defensive end Boubacar Traore Traore looked like arguably Notre Dame's best pass rusher during spring practice, and he's expected to contribute in a situational role behind graduate student vyper Jordan Botelho. If he can do that, he's a ceiling raiser. Senior wide receiver Beaux Collins The Irish prioritized Collins in the transfer portal, believing he can break out after three years of moderate production through subpar quarter- back play at Clemson. Even if he doesn't take another step — which he could — his floor is pretty high. Junior cornerback Jaden Mickey Mickey has ample talent, two years of playing experience and a chance to start alongside star junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison. Plus, if he goes down, depth becomes a major concern at a critical position. Junior quarterback Steve Angeli Backups with playing experience are few and far between in the transfer portal era. Notre Dame knows it can win with Angeli; he proved that in the Sun Bowl against Oregon State. Also, presumptive starter Riley Leonard missed five games in 2023 and most of spring practice due in 2024 to injury. Graduate student offensive tackle Tosh Baker Baker is all but locked into a starting tackle position to at least begin the season with Charles Jagusah not being available because of his season- ending pectoral injury. He has big shoes to fill in either departed second- round pick Blake Fisher or No. 5 overall pick Joe Alt at a premium posi- tion, though, and that's after he fell behind Aamil Wagner on the depth chart at the beginning of fall camp. Baker is in for the most important season of his Notre Dame career. Graduate student kicker Mitch Jeter Jeter was one of the more accurate kickers in college football over the past two seasons at South Carolina. Close games often come down to field goals. But the jury is still out on kicker value, and the majority of our voters didn't feel Jeter warranted inclusion. Senior defensive tackle Jason Onye Onye generated significant buzz this spring for his all-around improve- ment. He will be one of the first defensive tackles, if not the first, off the bench for Notre Dame this season. Graduate students Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills rarely came off the field when it counted last year. If Onye returns for 2025, he's a candidate to make his first appearance on this list. Freshman linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa Viliamu-Asa has All-America potential and could play starter's reps alongside sophomore Drayk Bowen at middle ("Mike") linebacker, but it's always wise to temper expectations for freshmen. First-year stars do happen, but sophomore breakouts are much more common. We could be wrong, but our staff believes Viliamu-Asa's value to the 2024 team won't be as high as it is in 2025. Graduate student wide receiver Jayden Harrison Harrison is an All-America kickoff returner. Before getting hurt in spring practice (he'll be good to go for fall camp), he also looked like he could add his speed and shiftiness to the wide receiver rotation. Senior offensive guard Rocco Spindler Spindler has a chance to start at left guard, where he'll compete with senior Pat Coogan in fall camp. He has 10 games of starting experience, all gained in 2023. An outlier vote vaulted Coogan into the top 25, but our staff doesn't see much of a ceiling with either left guard candidate. Plus, they kind of cancel each other out where the "setback with subtrac- tion" question is concerned. Junior tight end Eli Raridon Raridon hasn't been healthy much at Notre Dame, but when he's seen the field, he's flashed tantalizing potential. He will be the No. 2 tight end behind senior Mitchell Evans. — Jack Soble Honorable Mentions 24 PRESEASON 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED Getting senior wide receiver Beaux Collins out of the transfer portal from Clemson was an offseason priority for the Fighting Irish. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER