Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Notre Dame Football: Two-deep 2017 depth chart projection

By Jacob Wilson

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Wide receiver Chris Brown #2 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish hauls in a third quarter touchdown over cornerback Gareon Conley #8 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during the BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Wide receiver Chris Brown #2 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish hauls in a third quarter touchdown over cornerback Gareon Conley #8 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during the BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 7
Next
SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 05: Jerry Tillery #99 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 05: Jerry Tillery #99 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /

Defensive tackles

Starting Tackles: SR Jonathan Bonner (DT), JR Jerry Tillery (NT)

Jonathan Bonner is expected to take the majority of snaps as a defensive tackle this season, but there are plenty of players beneath him ready to take his place should he fail to progress. Bonner received most of his playing time after the injury to junior Elijah Taylor. He did well with this increase in playing time, but was never able to completely separate himself from those under him. Jerry Tillery will take the majority of snaps at the nose tackle position but, much like Bonner, has had a difficult time proving himself as the number one option for the Irish on the defensive front.

Backups: JR Elijah Taylor / JR Micah Dew-Treadway (DT), SR Daniel Cage (NT)

Every defensive tackle on Notre Dame’s depth chart might as well be thrown into one collective group when it comes to organizing who’s going to be playing where. Injuries, personalities, and playing types all work together to blur the lines of Notre Dame’s defensive line.

Will Taylor be able to fully recover from the injury that handed Bonner his starting spot? What will the Irish get out of Dew-Treadway in light of an injury that removed him from the entirety of last season? Will Tillery maintain his hold on the starting nose tackle position despite landing in Kelly’s doghouse at the end of last season?

These are only a few of the many questions Kelly will have to answer this season. As for Cage, only time will tell if he is capable of making the Irish coaching staff think twice about starting Tillery instead of him.

Home/Notre Dame Fighting Irish