Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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erages, will be when the corner rolls up and gets in his grill, but he main- tains, "Chris is going to play a role in our offense — he's going to have to." Daly might not supplant three- year starter Jordan Cowart on long snapping duties for punts, but his 245-pound frame could get him time on field goals and extra points, un- less powerful fifth-year senior Braxs- ton Cave takes on that role to help prevent a push up the middle. SAPP'S TAKE: Baratti has been able to earn more reps with the second-team defense and has quickly adjusted back to playing on defense after working primarily on offense during his junior and senior seasons in high school. His experience at quarterback allows him to make quick reads and use sound field awareness. Brown looks very comfortable on to practice wearing No. 45, it took a couple of seconds to realize he wasn't Darius Fleming (2008-11) coming back for a fifth year. He's big, athletic and a pleasant surprise for the coach- ing staff. He'd be one to watch to have an early contributing role. Shumate showed right away why the gridiron, and while he'll need to add weight to his frame, he has the ability to stretch the field, which puts him in the mix. The first day Okwara walked out but one — Trevor Robinson in 2008 — did not play as freshmen to pre- serve a fifth year. Odds are Stanley and Harrell won't either, especially if junior tackle Tate Nichols returns from his patella injury by September. A numbers crunch at running back and receiver will make it difficult for Ferguson or Mahone to receive initial action, and the same for Badger and Turner at safety. Prosise's 6-2, 208-pound frame bears a resemblance to recent first-round selection Harrison Smith, who also began his career at outside linebacker. as a true freshman, the others being quarterback and cornerback. Stan- ley will likely continue working on his overall strength (he has already gained nearly 20 pounds since sign- ing) and preserving a fifth season. Jones has started to show more why he came in as a defensive lineman. He was tentative early on, but he has de- veloped more confidence and is com- ing off the football with more power. He could have a bright future along the offensive line, but he's working to get his shot at defensive end. Kiel looks the part physically more Freshman running back Will Mahone (left) and wide receiver Davonté Neal (right) shook off the fresh- man jitters early and jumped right into the competition at their respective positions. he was known for his physical style of play at the safety position, simi- lar to Jamoris Slaughter, and he has found another similarity in that he's getting worked in at cornerback. His talent defensively made him a player to watch early. Daly is as good as advertised, and his snaps had speed and accuracy. He has good size and should be able to protect up the middle. group might see action. Stanley could be on the "On The Bubble" list because he's been taking all the reps at No. 2 left tackle, behind senior Zack Martin, with the loss of Jordan Prestwood. However, Kelly indicated it would take a couple of major injuries before he'd want to burn a year of eligibility on Stanley. Since 2007, Notre Dame has re- cruited 17 offensive lineman, and all 70 PRESEASON 2012 Mark Harrell, DL Jarron Jones, QB Gunner Kiel, RB Will Mahone, OLB C.J. Prosise, OL Ronnie Stanley and S John Turner Chances are someone from this S Chris Badger, WR Justin Ferguson, OL BIDING TIME quee names in this class, and Kelly has stressed on several occasions that he would not have qualms about playing Kiel in an emergency situation. Jones has a marvelous physique at Kiel and Jones were two of the mar- such a young age, similar to Tuitt last year, but will need some time to de- velop proper techniques at this level. SAPP'S TAKE: The physical Ferguson PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA than any other quarterback on the ros- ter. You can tell that he's a cerebral player and really thinks through his reps and the critiques he receives from the coaches. Not only does he possess a strong, accurate arm, but he also has a leadership quality that sets him up for a successful future at the helm. With Mahone, you can't help but has shown his ability to adjust his route to get underneath the football in tight coverage. He's right in the race to get reps early in his career. What might hold him back his first year is he doesn't quite have the same burst as classmates Neal and Brown. Also, junior Daniel Smith and sophomore Daniels, are coming more to the fore- front after not playing at receiver last year, so reps might be limited. Harrell was able to work with a make the Jonas Gray comparison, even the way he turns the ball up- field on an outside run by staying low in his break. He runs with a good forward lean and is gaining more confidence in his burst. Prosise is settling in well with his former pro center to develop his snapping, but some attrition along the line this August has shifted him to guard, giving him a good frame- work of versatility to begin his career. Left offensive tackle is one of the three most difficult positions to play position switch from safety. He's a candidate to use the year to learn more about Dog linebacker, but his success at the high school level on special teams makes him a viable op- tion to play in 2012. Turner was one of the players to watch for a potential move to outside linebacker, but he has continued to show the staff why they offered him as a safety. After two years away from foot- ball, Badger needs this season to get back into an on-field rhythm. ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED