Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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of depth has forced him to the weak‑ side. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native was a spring standout and will be asked to provide strong run game produc‑ tion this fall. Nose guard Daniel Cage had a quality spring, and with Jones still battling back from a knee injury that cost him 12 games in 2015, Cage will need to ensure that Notre Dame gets effective play when Jones is out. Kelly has praised end Jonathan Bonner for his athleticism, but that has yet to translate to games. The junior can play both end and tackle, versatility that should earn him a ro‑ tation spot this season. Bonner is a more natural pass rusher than Ro‑ chell and could give the defense a boost if his athletic skills can turn into results. The wild card is junior Grant Blan‑ kenship, arguably the most physi‑ cally gifted player at end, but also the most enigmatic. He has not shown the ability to produce at a level that matches his talent yet. If he can, the Irish could find an answer to their pass rushing issues. Blankenship was suspended from the team the final week of spring practice, and his return this August will be contingent on a set of crite‑ ria the coaches outlined for him this summer. INTO THE SPOTLIGHT Secondary play was far too in‑ consistent for Notre Dame to put together a championship‑caliber de‑ fense last season. With two starters gone, juniors are again expected to serve as replacements. Cornerback KeiVarae Russell took his talent to the NFL, getting picked by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the draft. His replace‑ ment, Nick Watkins, made his first career start, in the Fiesta Bowl, and was solid against Ohio State. He will now look to show off the talent that made him one of the top recruits in his signing class. Watkins is not the athlete Russell was, but he's a natural at cornerback, possessing the length and instincts to thrive. What he has lacked is the confidence to maximize his skills, and now he must rebound from a broken humerus that sidelined him the second half of spring. A pair of knee injuries — one to each — ended strong safety Drue Tranquill's freshman and sophomore seasons. He was a playmaker dur‑ ing the spring and in limited snaps as a sophomore. Tranquill has the body of a linebacker but the speed of a safety. If he can stay healthy, he should remind Notre Dame fans of former safety Zeke Motta (2009‑12) as a run defender — but Tranquill projects to be better in coverage. Linebacker Greer Martini has be‑ come a bit of an option specialist, earning three of his six career starts against triple‑option opponents. He will be given an opportunity to be‑ come a full‑time starter this season, but earning that role will be difficult. The junior will battle a pair of sophomores — Asmar Bilal and Te'von Coney — for the starting Will linebacker position. Whoever wins the job will be tasked with replac‑ ing Smith, a consensus All‑Ameri‑