Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY BRYAN DRISKELL N otre Dame is tasked with replacing two defensive All-Americans — lineman Sheldon Day and linebacker Jaylon Smith — and its two most pro- ductive defensive backs. Battles will rage this spring and into the fall to find replacements, and how well they perform will go a long way toward determining if Notre Dame can field a championship-caliber defense in 2016. WILL LINEBACKER The biggest shoes to fill are at Will linebacker. Despite being a true freshman, Te'von Coney emerged in 2015 as the primary backup to Smith. What he lacks in ath- leticism compared to the 2015 Butkus Award winner, he makes up for with toughness and instincts. Coney racked up 13 tackles and was a vital member of the Irish special teams as a true freshman, but he will look to become a full-time player next fall. However, Coney's hold on the start- ing position is tenuous because of a shoulder injury he sustained in the Fi- esta Bowl loss to Ohio State that will limit his on-field action during the spring. The limitations could allow a pair of his classmates to challenge him. Sophomore Josh Barajas was the most highly touted Irish linebacker prospect in the 2015 recruiting class. The Indi- ana native dominated at the prep level thanks to elite instincts and underrated athleticism. His skill set projects well to the run game and in coverage. However, he showed up at Notre Dame out of shape. Once that was cor- rected, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly sung his praises. If Barajas can maintain his form this spring, he could push Coney for the starting role. Another possible option at Will is Asmar Bilal, the most explosive athlete of the three sophomores. At just 215 pounds, Bilal might lack the girth to be an every-down linebacker on the inside, which is why he projects best at the Sam position. Still, Bilal's athleticism and willing- ness to play with power is impressive for his age and size. If he performs well in the spring, he could find his way onto the field in the fall. STRONG SAFETY The options at this position are im- pacted by injury concerns and a lack of experience. If he were healthy, junior Drue Tran- quill would be considered an easy choice to replace graduated starter Eli- jah Shumate. Tranquill has excellent size (6-1½, 225) and good speed for the position, and in limited 2015 action he showed the run-stopping ability to handle the position. He also improved his coverage skills as a sophomore, and if healthy he projects to improve the pass game production. He is, however, rehabbing through a second major knee injury. Sixth-year senior Avery Sebastian was once an up-and-coming player af- ter a sophomore season at California in which he racked up 57 tackles. Since then, he has suffered through three sea- son-ending injuries that have sapped him of much of his athleticism. Another option is sophomore