Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons to be excited about 2018 recruiting class

1. The Irish have another strong linebacker corps in the making

One of the strongest aspects of Notre Dame’s 2017 season was the success of its linebacker unit. However, with the losses of Morgan and Martini along with the impending departures of Tranquill and Coney, the Irish will be hoping for yet another group to step up and maintain the legacy of one of Notre Dame’s strongest position groups.

First, let’s take a look at who the Irish have at their disposal for the 2018 season. The common consensus is that Tranquill will be moved from the rover position to inside linebacker, thus solidifying him and Coney as the team’s two bona fide starters. Should this be the case, incoming coordinator Clark Lea will either implement a position on the outside or try other players at rover.

While exactly who those players will be is still up for discussion, let’s shift our focus to who the Irish could have on the field years from now. The Irish recorded quite the haul in terms of linebackers this season, receiving the commitments of Jack Lamb, Shayne Simon, Matthew Bauer, and Ovie Oghoufo. While Oghoufo doesn’t meet the hype of his peers, he’ll provide decent depth at the least.

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As for the other three, Lamb, Simon, and Bauer have the potential to establish themselves in a similar manner to the Irish’s latest group of Morgan, Martini, Tranquill, and Coney. There has been talk of moving Simon to the rover, but others have suggested scrapping the position and rolling them out as a traditional unit. Regardless, this group has the potential to wreak havoc for years to come.