Ranking 2023 Notre Dame position groups following spring practice
Fifteen Notre Dame spring practices are complete. The Irish ought to have learned a lot about themselves in their month of on-field work – about the risers, the players who need more work and those who didn’t take a step. Starting spots and two-deeps aren’t set, but the outlook at each position, its floor and its ceiling feel a bit clearer than when winter workouts ended.
Only three sessions were open to media: two practices and the Blue-Gold Game. Between those and interviews, though, there was enough to assess which positions took steps and which still have something to prove. Here’s a dive into the post-spring outlook at each position, ranked from strongest to weakest.
1. Running back
Pre-spring rank: 2
It’s hard to find holes here, even with Chris Tyree (1,162 career rushing yards) moving to slot receiver. Juniors Audric Estimé and Logan Diggs are Notre Dame’s two most established skill players.
Sophomore Gi’Bran Payne looked like a more than capable No. 3 running back this spring, and he isn’t even guaranteed the job. Jadarian Price will have an opportunity to claim it when he returns from an Achilles tear that wiped out a promising freshman year. Top-100 recruit Jeremiyah Love enrolls in June.
2. Quarterback
Pre-spring rank: 1
Tyler Buchner exploring a transfer thins the depth, but the Irish ended spring with evidence Sam Hartman can elevate their offense after his surgical Blue-Gold Game and impressive scrimmage performance one week earlier. That’s enough to keep quarterback highly ranked and its outlook positive. Notre Dame can worry about the 2024 quarterback picture later.
Notre Dame could feel confident the offense would stay afloat if Buchner is the backup. Without him, though, the Irish have to get one of sophomore Steve Angeli or freshman Kenny Minchey to the point where they can make the offense function if they’re needed in the fall. That dovetails into keeping them on a developmental track where they can be credible competitors for the job in 2024.
3. Defensive back
Pre-spring rank: 4
Notre Dame has a three-year starter (grad student Cam Hart) and a Freshman All-American (Benjamin Morrison) as its top two cornerbacks, with 21-game starter Clarence Lewis behind them. Sophomore-to-be Jaden Mickey looked like his spring 2022 self that made a strong impression rather than the shaky fall version.
Cornerback has enough depth that converted receiver Lorenzo Styles, a former top-100 recruit who some schools wanted on defense, didn’t have an obvious path to playing time had he stuck around instead of entering the transfer portal.
Senior safety Xavier Watts’ spring flashes were a continuation of his rise last year, which gives an otherwise uneven unit a floor and a potential playmaker. Depth there is a concern, but between Watts, Ramon Henderson and sixth-year player DJ Brown, the Irish have a solid top three. Grad transfer Thomas Harper’s return to full heath this summer should boost safety and nickel corner.
4. Offensive line
Pre-spring rank: 3
Sophomore Billy Schrauth and grad student Andrew Kristofic earned most of the first-team guard reps this spring and feel like the early favorites to start at left and right guard, respectively. But there were ups and downs, and neither locked down the job. Schrauth still has the look of a multi-year starter, but right now, he’s a sophomore who is still learning. Notre Dame is willing to let him learn amid the chaos and trusts he can handle it.
Even with guard still unsettled, Notre Dame has two potential three-and-done tackles and a returning starting center. The floor is high here.
5. Linebacker
Pre-spring rank: 5
The overall depth feels stronger here, even with Prince Kollie hopping in the transfer portal. That’s a credit to sophomore Jaylen Sneed continuing his late-season ascent, sophomore Nolan Ziegler looking comfortable at mike linebacker after a redshirt year and three freshmen who look competent.
The top is still strong with three grad students, led by returning captain JD Bertrand. Rover Jack Kiser spent more time at will linebacker, this spring. If that becomes his primary home and he shares it with Marist Liufau, the rover spot is open for Sneed to take.
6. Wide receiver
Pre-spring rank: 6
Freshmen Rico Flores Jr., Jaden Greathouse and Braylon James injected the unit with talent and impressed to the point where Marcus Freeman expects all to play this fall. Junior Jayden Thomas’ 2022 season felt hidden in a run-first offense, but he’s hard to overlook now. Expectations are high for sophomore Tobias Merriweather. Tyree’s transition is still ongoing, but he looked more comfortable in the spring game than he did in an April 1 open practice where he struggled to catch the ball.
Notre Dame has enough talent at receiver that losing Styles and grad transfer Kaleb Smith (retirement) shouldn’t crush the unit. Can the higher talent level yield more consistency and a dynamic receiver the Irish didn’t have a year ago?
7. Tight end
Pre-spring rank: 7
A healthier Notre Dame tight end unit would have had more potential to move up, but senior Kevin Bauman and sophomore Eli Raridon missed the spring while recovering from ACL tears. Likely starter Mitchell Evans didn’t play in the spring game. Injuries prevented the position from making a move this spring, but there’s enough talent here to predict an effective unit come fall. Sophomore Holden Staes’ receiving skills were known, but his added strength is noticeable.
8. Defensive line
Pre-spring rank: 8
Notre Dame should feel better about its defensive line depth, which shouldn’t be overlooked. One of the spring goals was to learn if it had an effective two-deep on the defensive line. Junior tackle Jason Onye’s rise and sophomore vyper Junior Tuihalamaka’s growth as a full-time edge player helped there.
But it’s still hard to say if there’s a star on Notre Dame’s defensive line who can anchor the pass rush. Spring wasn’t likely to answer that question, especially when likely starting defensive ends Jordan Botelho and Javontae Jean-Baptiste often found themselves matched up with offensive tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher. That tackle duo might be better than any on the Irish’s schedule.
Notre Dame finding eight guys it trusts is notable. But it’s still hard to say how many impact players it has up front.
9. Specialists
Pre-spring rank: 9
This position is here because spring practice couldn’t really help it. Not with South Florida grad transfer kicker Spencer Shrader and Penn grad transfer punter Ben Krimm arriving in June. Shrader is the likely starting kicker. Krimm could push talented but up-and-down (in the spring game, at least) sophomore Bryce McFerson. Kicker Zac Yoakam was steady in open practices, but didn’t display the range Shrader possess.
Notre Dame did find its likely snapper-holder combination, with new walk-on quarterback Dylan Devezin holding for four-year long snapper Michael Vinson.
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