Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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CHALK TALK BRYAN DRISKELL F reshmen have made a significant impact for Notre Dame throughout head coach Brian Kelly's tenure. In fact, Notre Dame has placed a player on the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America first team each of the last two seasons — linebacker Nyles Morgan in 2014 and placekicker Justin Yoon in 2015. The 2016 recruiting class has too much talent to not make an impact right away. Skill will dictate who plays at some positions, while need will fac- tor in with others. Here is a look at which players have the best chance at contributing in 2016. DAELIN HAYES, LB The loss of starting linebackers Jaylon Smith and Joe Schmidt creates a huge void. There are talented players coming back, but none has the combination of skills possessed by Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline linebacker Daelin Hayes. At 6-3, 239 pounds, Hayes has top- level size and power, and is a tremen- dously versatile athlete that projects for all three linebacker spots and also has the pass rushing ability to put his hand down and attack off the edge. He suffered two season-ending shoulder injuries in high school, so health will be a key. But if he checks out medically, it will be impossible to not find a role for him this fall. DEVIN STUDSTILL, S Notre Dame lost two of its top three safeties on the depth chart, and the two veterans in line to start at strong safety — junior Drue Tranquill and sixth-year senior Avery Sebastian — Early Contributors Safety Jalen Elliott is among a group of incoming freshmen that could immediately impact the Irish this fall. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND