Notre Dame Football: Top 3 breakout candidates for spring 2022

Notre Dame football heads into spring ball with high expectations and a new head coach. Which Fighting Irish could break out this spring?

Notre Dame is going to have a new look this season with Marcus Freeman roaming the sidelines as head coach after Brian Kelly left for LSU.

The Irish missed out on the playoff last season and blew a big lead in the New Year’s Six to lose their bowl game but the expectations for Freeman and Notre Dame are sky-high in 2022. The cupboard is far from bare and this team will be able to push for another playoff berth.

Before that can happen, the Irish must go through their first spring without Kelly as head coach in over a decade and some guys will have to step up.

Which Irish players could break out this spring?

Jaylen Sneed is one of the best incoming freshmen in the country and he happens to be enrolled early at Notre Dame. I don’t see him stealing a starting spot right away, but he should make the two-deep after a strong spring at linebacker because the starters are all seniors.

Sneed was brought in to have an immediate impact, however, and with a defensive-minded head coach like Marcus Freeman now in charge, he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he sees the field early on.

The four-star early enrollee was ranked the No. 3 linebacker in the entire 2022 class and he should be turning heads all spring with his size and athleticism along with his instincts. Don’t be shocked when you hear the coaching staff rave about the freshman all spring.