Young Players that stood out

[Get Nasty]

Foskey - He looks the part and moves like a potential future SDE All American (Not saying he'll be that, but sky is the limit)
Cross - Yes he only had 1 tackle but he flat out just moved the O Line wherever he wanted, resulting in easy tackles for our LBs.
Justin A - I think he will be a pretty good DE
Smith - Jahmir ran hard, hope he gets all of Avery Davis carries. Davis can catch, but he just is not a RB.
Simon - Thought he looked explosive as a player and tackler
Hart - He can run and looked the part of a big physical corner
Phil - I don't think he's ready for prime time but he has physical gifts, keep working kid

 

[IrishMike409]

Of these guys, who do you think can be key contributors next season?

 

[TDIrish27]

Foskey

Would say Cross also but all DT's return

Simon

 

[iwish]

Hart would be huge for the Irish next year if he could materialize into a real force. Would really add some needed playmaking in the secondary. Hope it turns out that way!

 

[Get Nasty]

Of these guys, who do you think can be key contributors next season?

I think foskey and Justin A will be our two 2nd string ends, and one injury away from starting. Cross could be lethal inside next year in passing situations. I think Jahmir will be third string RB. Phil is on how book develops and if he stays for fifth. Simon will battle lamb and Bauer for starting spot. Hart looks the part.

 

[NotreDomer1]

Foskey is very impressive.

 

[Get Nasty]

Foskey is 6'4, 250, and looks a bit thin out there. He's not Jadaveon Clowney, but I think he can add 10-20lbs and be an absolute freak at SDE. He even has the athleticism to play Shark, but next year with hayes and ademilola I think shark is in good hands. Foskey and Ade at SDE next year could be awesome.

We won't have Khalid and Okwara back next year, but with the development of everyone else back interior wise, hayes, ademilola, ade, and foskey the line could actually be just as good if not better. Need to develop secondary for next year and boy o boy, this D.

right now they have Justin at SDE and Foskey at Shark. I think that changes for next year as Justin is only 6'1-2 and I think doesn't have the size for it.

 

[IrishInOntario]

There isn't going to be much dropoff at DE next year when they go...

Daelin Hayes
2. Justin Ademilola
3. Ovie Oghoufo

Ade Ogundeji
2. Isaiah Foskey
3. Nana Osafo-Mensah

*Jordan Botelho will likely play 4 games and redshirt.

When you consider that ND will finally have some developed depth on its interior as well with a nice 4 man rotation of MTA, Hinish, Jay Ade and Lacey, bolstered by whatever they get out of Cross, Franklin and Spears, on paper it looks like an excellent DL, backed up by 2 returning starters at linebacker and a third guys who will have received plenty of reps this year.

 

[Get Nasty]

There isn't going to be much dropoff at DE next year when they go...

Daelin Hayes
2. Justin Ademilola
3. Ovie Oghoufo

Ade Ogundeji
2. Isaiah Foskey
3. Nana Osafo-Mensah

*Jordan Botelho will likely play 4 games and redshirt.

When you consider that ND will finally have some developed depth on its interior as well with a nice 4 man rotation of MTA, Hinish, Jay Ade and Lacey, bolstered by whatever they get out of Cross, Franklin and Spears, on paper it looks like an excellent DL, backed up by 2 returning starters at linebacker and a third guys who will have received plenty of reps this year.

I know people have been hyping Cross including the coaches. I went back and watched his snaps. He flat out just moved people where ever he wanted them to go creating huge holes for Lbs to shoot and pushing into the pocket. It was BGSU I know, but I think the coaches are on the fence of playing him 4 games or more this year. Good sign.

They key next year is secondary development. I like what i've seen with Hamilton, and Bracy is solid, just needs to get a lot stronger still. If Houston can play well and be opposite hamilton we really need Cam hart, lichfield, brown, wallace, rutherford to develop to provide depth and potentially start. Cam hart looked so fluid of an athlete in his limited reps. He would be great to have opposite bracy as a big physical corner to the boundry.

 

[IrishMike409]

Is Gilman gone for sure?

 

[IrishInOntario]

I know people have been hyping Cross including the coaches. I went back and watched his snaps. He flat out just moved people where ever he wanted them to go creating huge holes for Lbs to shoot and pushing into the pocket. It was BGSU I know, but I think the coaches are on the fence of playing him 4 games or more this year. Good sign.

They key next year is secondary development. I like what i've seen with Hamilton, and Bracy is solid, just needs to get a lot stronger still. If Houston can play well and be opposite hamilton we really need Cam hart, lichfield, brown, wallace, rutherford to develop to provide depth and potentially start. Cam hart looked so fluid of an athlete in his limited reps. He would be great to have opposite bracy as a big physical corner to the boundry.

The cool thing about Cross is that he's 270lbs. He has very heavy hands though. He's never going to be huge, but wait until he's a muscular 285lbs two years from now... Sheldon Day 2.0.

 

[NewMember21]

There isn't going to be much dropoff at DE next year when they go...

Daelin Hayes
2. Justin Ademilola
3. Ovie Oghoufo

Ade Ogundeji
2. Isaiah Foskey
3. Nana Osafo-Mensah

*Jordan Botelho will likely play 4 games and redshirt.

When you consider that ND will finally have some developed depth on its interior as well with a nice 4 man rotation of MTA, Hinish, Jay Ade and Lacey, bolstered by whatever they get out of Cross, Franklin and Spears, on paper it looks like an excellent DL, backed up by 2 returning starters at linebacker and a third guys who will have received plenty of reps this year.

Crazy that the "can they get anything out of" DT's you have listed could be a legit starting DT group for ND in previous years....and we'd have been mildly excited about it.

Spears and Cross are both "high upside" guys that just need time (due to injury and/or size) and Franklin is a very solid player who should continue to help us against the run as he recovers.

 

[Telx1]

There isn't going to be much dropoff at DE next year when they go...

Daelin Hayes
2. Justin Ademilola
3. Ovie Oghoufo

Ade Ogundeji
2. Isaiah Foskey
3. Nana Osafo-Mensah

*Jordan Botelho will likely play 4 games and redshirt.

When you consider that ND will finally have some developed depth on its interior as well with a nice 4 man rotation of MTA, Hinish, Jay Ade and Lacey, bolstered by whatever they get out of Cross, Franklin and Spears, on paper it looks like an excellent DL, backed up by 2 returning starters at linebacker and a third guys who will have received plenty of reps this year.

I recall yours and others posts last year regarding NDs recruiting and celebrating the fact that we had back to back to back years where we recruited very good defensive linemen, but also very complimentary defensive linemen. The back and forth discussion between you and Nasty illustrates how accurate this has proven to be. It’s really exciting for the program to finally have this quality of depth on the defensive front seven. Now, we need to shore up defensive back recruiting.

 

[IrishMike409]

The cool thing about Cross is that he's 270lbs. He has very heavy hands though. He's never going to be huge, but weight until he's a muscular 285lbs two years from now... Sheldon Day 2.0.

I like that proposition.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Is Gilman gone for sure?

We wants to go from the sounds of it. He hasn't played amazing this year though, IMO. You're risking injury returning but if he does, he'd be the undisputed leader of the defense and the entire team for that matter.

DE: Daelin Hayes
2. Justin Ademilola

NG: Kurt Hinish
2. Jacob Lacey

DT: Myron Tagavailoa-Amosa
2. Jayson Ademilola

DE: Ade Ogundeji
2. Isaiah Foskey

Rover: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
2. Marist Liufau or Jack Kiser

Mike: Drew White
2. Bo Bauer or Osita Ekwonu

Buck: Shayne Simon
2. Jack Lamb

CB: Tariq Bracy
2. KJ Wallace

S: Alohi Gilman
2. Houston Griffith

S: kyle Hamilton
2. Houston Griffith

CB: Donte Vaughn (healthy)
2. Isaiah Rutherford or Cam Hart

I don't think it will wind up happening, but that could be a sneaky good defense, with a strong front 7 and an elite safety group.

Now... It's a shame that ND can't recruit a top corner lately to save their lives, but the guys they have aren't bad football players either. A lot of them develop really well in the system.

 

[Golson5]

We wants to go from the sounds of it. He hasn't played amazing this year though, IMO. You're risking injury returning but if he does, he'd be the undisputed leader of the defense and the entire team for that matter.

DE: Daelin Hayes
2. Justin Ademilola

NG: Kurt Hinish
2. Jacob Lacey

DT: Myron Tagavailoa-Amosa
2. Jayson Ademilola

DE: Ade Ogundeji
2. Isaiah Foskey

Rover: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
2. Marist Liufau or Jack Kiser

Mike: Drew White
2. Bo Bauer or Osita Ekwonu

Buck: Shayne Simon
2. Jack Lamb

CB: Tariq Bracy
2. KJ Wallace

S: Alohi Gilman
2. Houston Griffith

S: kyle Hamilton
2. Houston Griffith

CB: Donte Vaughn (healthy)
2. Isaiah Rutherford or Cam Hart

I don't think it will wind up happening, but that could be a sneaky good defense, with a strong front 7 and an elite safety group.

Now... It's a shame that ND can't recruit a top corner lately to save their lives, but the guys they have aren't bad football players either. A lot of them develop really well in the system.

Paul Moala can play. Don't discount him

 

[IrishInOntario]

Paul Moala can play. Don't discount him

I'm not. I just think other kids will wind up being better. JMO.

 

[Get Nasty]

Paul Moala can play. Don't discount him

He actually has played pretty poor so far this year. He's still young learning a new position, but he gave up Georgia's biggest run, and the bonehead play allowing a 3rd down TD vs virginia on the opening drive.

He will learn under lea know doubt, he's just know where near as physically gifted as Wu and even some of our younger recruits. I think Moala is going to be a special teams staple.

 

[NDlb46]

We wants to go from the sounds of it. He hasn't played amazing this year though, IMO. You're risking injury returning but if he does, he'd be the undisputed leader of the defense and the entire team for that matter.

DE: Daelin Hayes
2. Justin Ademilola

NG: Kurt Hinish
2. Jacob Lacey

DT: Myron Tagavailoa-Amosa
2. Jayson Ademilola

DE: Ade Ogundeji
2. Isaiah Foskey

Rover: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
2. Marist Liufau or Jack Kiser

Mike: Drew White
2. Bo Bauer or Osita Ekwonu

Buck: Shayne Simon
2. Jack Lamb

CB: Tariq Bracy
2. KJ Wallace

S: Alohi Gilman
2. Houston Griffith

S: kyle Hamilton
2. Houston Griffith

CB: Donte Vaughn (healthy)
2. Isaiah Rutherford or Cam Hart

I don't think it will wind up happening, but that could be a sneaky good defense, with a strong front 7 and an elite safety group.

Now... It's a shame that ND can't recruit a top corner lately to save their lives, but the guys they have aren't bad football players either. A lot of them develop really well in the system.

I don't know man, that seems like more than a sneaky good defense

 

[NDAFArly]

The cool thing about Cross is that he's 270lbs. He has very heavy hands though. He's never going to be huge, but wait until he's a muscular 285lbs two years from now... Sheldon Day 2.0.

One thing people can’t ignore is genetics.
Cross’s father, a former NFL player, was known for being extremely strong also.
So I think Cross is one of those genetic freaks that can just move cars around, LOL.

 

[NDAFArly]

I’m also glad to see Phil get to just “play football.”
He’s not a camp guy, or a drill guy. He’s a football player.
I watched him his Senior year play against Elite HS defenses & shred them.
When he was out there just playing he was in his element. His scrambles are great because he’s a threat to score every time he takes off. He also obviously can throw it a mile.