Notre Dame Football: Ranking every position group for 2018
By Jacob Wilson
Despite an absolutely abysmal 2016 season, the Notre Dame defensive line turned things around in grand fashion last season, boosting their sack total to 16.5 in 2017. Similar to the situation at cornerback, the Irish defensive line will bring back a significant amount of talent despite Jay Hayes’ transfer to Georgia.
The interior of the defensive line has undergone some remodeling this offseason, with senior Jerry Tillery moving to the three-technique while fifth-year senior Jonathan Bonner gets some work at defensive end. Additionally, the Irish boast plenty of young depth including sophomores Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Kurt Hinish, and last year’s redshirt Darnell Ewell.
On the ends, Notre Dame will once again start junior Daelin Hayes. With the departure of Jay Hayes, junior Khalid Kareem figures to start opposite Daelin while fellow junior Julian Okwara looks to rotate in as well. With a strong core and a plethora of youth on the horizon, look for the defensive line to be a source of strength for the Irish for quite some time.