Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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his individual performance and bol- ster the secondary after an inconsistent 2014. Shumate was pushed by graduate transfer Avery Sebastian during the fall and even lost a significant number of first-team reps to the former Cal player. "Spent a lot of time in the offsea- son with Max and Elijah, and it's pay- ing off," Kelly said. "Those guys are communicating well. Our defense is getting lined up. We had to do some things which we kind of talked about, I think, a couple times in the spring. "VanGorder has done a master- ful job of really cleaning up a lot of the language defensively where we can get our calls in and get lined up quickly." Shumate is more skilled than Se- bastian in pass coverage and under- standing the defensive complexities. The latter will especially determine whether his 2015 senior year is a hit or a miss. ✦ Five Surprises These players will not make or break Notre Dame's season in 2015, but they figure to contribute after putting forth strong fall camp efforts. 1. TE Aliz'e Jones — Jones is a tight end in a receiver's body and will immediate make his mark on the Irish passing game. The freshman possesses superb hands and his 6-4½, 240-pound frame allows him to catch virtually anything that comes his way. 2. WR Equanimeous St. Brown — Another freshman makes this list after a standout fall camp. With how much depth the Irish possess at receiver, St. Brown was not ex- pected to make an immediate impact. After observing five practices and listening to the coaches and players, it seems inevitable that the trilingual 6-4 receiver will see the field immediately. 3. CB Devin Butler — Many expected Butler to be passed on the depth chart by sophomore Nick Watkins and the freshmen trio of cornerbacks. First-team nickel back Shaun Crawford suffered a season-ending ACL injury in mid-August, forcing the Irish to move Russell inside on such looks. When Russell moves inside, Butler will man the outside. 4. S Avery Sebastian — Even Kelly admits he thought Notre Dame was merely adding a situational player in Sebastian, but that might have changed in August. Sebastian earned some first-team reps ahead of Shumate at safety, although the latter is still the projected starter. 5. WR Torii Hunter Jr. — Even at the loaded slot receiver position, Hunter might be the best bet to be starting at the position by the end of the season. With injuries finally in his rearview mirror, Hunter has taken a major step forward the past 12 months. Expect him to line up outside on some downs as well. — Andrew Owens Freshman wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown had an excellent fall camp and has a chance to see immediate playing time despite a stacked depth chart at his position. PHOTO COURTEOUS RIVALS.COM