Notre Dame Football: 3 freshmen who could start in 2021

By Dante Pryor | Jul 17, 2021

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players run on the field during player introductions before the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

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Vanderbilt general manager and director of player personnel Barton Simmons said that the mark of a program turning the corner is when younger players take snaps from veterans. Improved recruiting often means that a program signs more players ready to play when they step on campus.

Notre Dame football has long been a program capable of recruiting such players. Head coach Brian Kelly and his recruiting staff have balanced finding developmental players like Daelin Hayes, a 185-pound linebacker when he stepped on campus, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, a sub-200-pound tweener player.

Both players developed in Notre Dame’s program and became NFL draft picks. In contrast, Kyle Hamilton came on campus ready to start and entered Notre Dame’s defensive backfield rotation. That balance is the mark of a program’s understanding of how and who they want to recruit.

This season is no different. The Irish have some players that will develop in a program that has been proven to develop players. Notre Dame also has players ready to step in game one. The three players on this list are good enough to start as freshmen.

One will start, and the other two could be starters before the season’s end.

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