Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/998819
22 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Our easy Nos. 1 and 2 selections last preseason were guard Quen- ton Nelson and tackle Mike McGlinchey, both top-10 picks in the NFL Draft. However, this is not just about pro potential, but also previous production, consistency and current role in the scheme. 1. Buck Linebacker Drue Tranquill A prolific 2017 saw him finish second with 10.5 tackles for loss and third with 85 tackles overall, while playing outside and away from the ball at rover. The move to Buck for his final season puts him at arguably the most productive position in the defense. A consistently reliable figure last fall, Tranquill is poised to become the unit's top playmaker. 2. Defensive Tackle Jerry Tillery Like Nelson and McGlinchey in 2018, he might be the team's top 2019 draft prospect. At times last season, Tillery was a dominant force, and like Tran- quill he is moving to a position that will enable him to attack and make a lot more plays. The Shreveport, La., native led the defense with 4.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries in 2017, production he should increase with the move to three-technique. 3. Center Sam Mustipher S t e a d y a n d d e p e n d a b l e throughout 2017, Mustipher will not be confused with a force of nature like Nelson, but he excels at doing his job snap after snap. Now a captain, he is being counted on to provide leadership to complement his consistent play. If he improves this season like he did last fall, he will emerge as one of the nation's premier centers. 4. Cornerback JULIAN LOVE Love was a playmaker supreme as a sophomore last year with a school-record 20 passes broken up while also providing strong tackling. He thrived at keeping everything in front of him and then driving hard on the football, which is why two of his three interceptions were returned for scores and why his third pick was returned within five yards of the end zone. Improving his downfield coverage ability is essential in 2018. 5. Mike Linebacker Te'von Coney Despite being a rotation player for most of the season, Coney led the defense in both tackles (116) and tackles for loss (13). He might not repeat that production this season (similar to Love), but his responsibilities will go beyond being an impact run defender. The shift to Mike linebacker makes him responsible for getting his teammates aligned properly every play. TOP FIVE PLAYERS Last year, junior cornerback Julian Love returned two in- terceptions for touchdowns — becoming the eighth player in school history to achieve that feat in a season — and was just five yards short of the end zone on his third pick. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL