Notre Dame Football: 3 National Signing Day pickups who’ll break out

The Notre Dame offensive line is mostly set for the 2018 campaign, but the best among the incoming group of lineman for the Irish is four-star offensive tackle Jarrett Patterson. As a smart and versatile lineman, Patterson could out work the other freshmen into some extra time on the field.

Missing out on the one of the top lineman in the nation on NSD, Nicholas Petit-Frere who signed with the Ohio State Buckeyes, makes the signing of Patterson that much more significant. He’s the youngest depth that the Irish are likely to rely upon during the regular season.

The rest of the incoming freshmen along the offensive line for Notre Dame are all three-star prospects. Next best is three-star offensive tackle Luke Jones. However, Jones is likely to slide in behind Patterson on the depth chart, at least for his first year.

Early playing time for freshmen offensive lineman might be a rarity in South Bend. If the injuries do start to pile up, or Kelly starts to shift some players around, having some younger pieces to refer to helps out a ton. Patterson is a great pickup for the Irish, and will be an integral part of a great line for the next four seasons.