Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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three different championship teams. "It matters to put the best five [offensive linemen] on the field," Kelly said. "… It's not really about Christian as much as how do we get the best five on the field? What it allows us to do is find out, 'Is it Conor Hanratty, is it Ronnie Stanley, is it Steve Elmer? Who is it that gives us the best five?' We're fortunate that he gives us that flexibility to be able to have this conversation." Although improving the right side seems to be progressing, the offense knows where its meal ticket still is. "I like to think that in any tough situation the ball is coming our way," Watt said. "But it will be nice to balance it up so that opposing defenses won't shift their defense to one side or another." The New 'Veteran' If Lombard does remain at guard, that means new starting center Nick Martin would be surrounded by starting veterans on both the left and right of him, with Watt on the left. However, Kelly said that didn't factor into the decision of shifting Lombard, which was more about getting Stanley on the field. Besides, Kelly almost views Nick Martin the same way he does Zack Martin. "He doesn't seem like a first-year starter," Kelly said. "It's just the way he handles himself. It just seems like he's been in there for a couple of years. It's really quite impressive. "He's given us the opportunity to evaluate him against one of the best nose guards in the country in Louis Nix. He holds his own going against great competition, even when Kona [Schwenke] is in there. He's challenged every day and just holds up very well. He knows the offense very well and is not a guy that makes mistakes. He's extremely conscientious, very fit, can play every play, and plays to the echo of the whistle. Nick is a very mature kid." At 295 pounds, the younger Martin is the lone figure along the Fighting Irish line under the 300 mark, but the older brother isn't concerned. "He's strong in the weight room — he's got some weird country strength to him," Zack Martin said. "He's ready to go." So is the rest of The Pack. ✦ Primed To End The Drought During this spring's NFL Draft, the Notre Dame offensive line achieved a dubious distinction: It marked the third straight year without one of its members getting drafted. That's a first at the school since college football went away from one-platoon football in 1964. Fifth-year senior left tackle Zack Martin is projected to end that drought in 2014, as could classmate and left guard Chris Watt. In NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt's top 100 seniors in college football for 2013, Martin is listed at No. 26, while Watt was No. 38. The last time a Notre Dame offensive lineman was drafted was 2010 with tackle Sam Young (sixth round, 179th pick) and center/guard Eric Olsen (sixth round, 183rd pick). Since 2004, or the last 10 drafts, the lone Notre Dame offensive lineman taken higher than the sixth round was tackle Ryan Harris, a third-round selection in 2007. — Lou Somogyi