What NFL Draft experts are saying about Notre Dame’s top prospects
Aside from offensive tackle Joe Alt, Notre Dame has three more players who most expect will be drafted in 2024.
Offensive tackle Blake Fisher, cornerback Cam Hart and quarterback Sam Hartman are all consensus NFL Draft prospects for Notre Dame. Barring a down year or an injury, each of them should hear their name called in April.
East-West Shrine Bowl director of football operations and player personnel Eric Galko, Pro Football Focus college football analyst Max Chadwick, Pro Football Network NFL Draft analyst Ian Cummings and Windy City Gridiron lead draft analyst Jacob Infante broke down Fisher, Hart and Hartman in interviews with Blue & Gold.
Note: These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
More: What are NFL Draft experts saying about Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt?
Blake Fisher
Eric Galko: “I think getting stronger would be helpful, and for him to be more dynamic and use his athleticism. He’s a plus athlete, he’s got the length, he’s played a little bit, former five-star kid. I think for him, it’s just coming into his frame, his body type, and again, with an offensive lineman, it really takes some time to build up that core strength and utilize that strength to dominate defenders.”
“Most guys are expecting that big jump, because he obviously has the talent, and just needs one more offseason to put it all together.”
Max Chadwick: “Joe was very humble when I talked about him, but when I talked about Blake, he lit up and said, ‘That’s one of my best friends.’ He said that they really grew close together. The work ethic is there for both of them right now.”
“Blake’s a physical freak. He’s 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, and I think he ran over 20 miles per hour on a treadmill video I saw last year. I think his hand usage can definitely improve. But I think if it does improve, he’s got the tools to make sure Notre Dame has two offensive tackles go in the first round.”
Ian Cummings: “Kind of like Alt, Blake Fisher still has room to refine his hand usage. I don’t think he’s quite as flexible as Alt is, granted, it’s a very high bar there. He’s a little more high-cut in his frame, and that can be a source of hip stiffness for him. Sometimes, he can be a little slow to flip his hips in recovery. Not quite as adaptable as Alt, and that shows up.”
“That said, I do think he brings more power in his game. Especially in the running game, when he’s able to surge his pads and drive through. He’s got very good length and very good power capacity, very good finishing capacity as well. He’s got that physical edge that allows him to finish blocks and drive defenders into the dirt. That’s something that’s going to win offensive line coaches over.”
Jacob Infante: “In terms of strike placement consistency, Blake Fisher might honestly be better than Alt, but Fisher still has some issues with leverage at times. I think Alt definitely has a higher athletic ceiling, but Fisher plays with a tough edge. When he lands those strikes and gets that inside hand placement, he’s a very tough guy to get past. You’re not gonna beat him with power.”
“I’ve seen him in Round 1. I don’t think he’s quite there yet, but he’s got serious potential.”
Cam Hart
Galko: “As long as he is and tall as he is, still having the frame to be physical is really, really impressive. His ability to play press, to win the short area, to win vertically, because he has that length and can move downfield is really impressive. One thing NFL scouts want to see is just having that dominant season. He’s got that Sauce Gardner-level size and flashes, but Sauce had a dominant season.”
“For Cam, he just needs to have a consistent season all year long — and especially win on those mid-field routes, those quick slants, deep slants, dig routes, really show the hip fluidity to turn and change direction. If you’re 6-foot-2 and can bend and flip and move laterally, you’re gonna go early in the draft. Not many human beings can do that.”
Chadwick: “The injuries have been the issue for him recently, but he’s graded out pretty well in PFF’s system. He’s got the size you look for in a corner. I think he’s a guy that can definitely be a Day 2 or 3 pick. I definitely want to see him come back healthy. With a great season, he could vault himself into the Day 2 conversation.”
Cummings: “I think he was documented as having a 38-inch vertical. I remember some reps where he went against (eventual first-round pick) Zay Flowers this past year, where he had the speed and explosiveness to negate separation and go with him stride for stride. For a guy who’s five inches taller, sometimes those quicker guys can give you trouble, but Hart had the recovery speed, the recovery burst to make that a non-issue.”
“All of the necessary talent is there. He’s got the experience. We’re just waiting to see it all click.”
Infante: “It’s a fair assumption to say he would’ve been a mid-round pick if he didn’t get hurt. Great ball skills. His receiver experience from high school really shows up in how he attacks the ball, with the coordination and ability to high-point the ball as well as compete at the catch point. I think that being a taller corner, it can be tougher for him to stay low in his backpedal and change direction easily, so I think that’s what could hold him back from being an early-round pick.”
Sam Hartman
Galko: “I throw out the idea of being an older quarterback. We’ve seen that NFL teams don’t care too much about that at the quarterback position. Sam’s been incredibly productive and successful at Wake Forest. He definitely has an NFL future.”
“He’s not going to make the NFL because he’s 6-foot-5 with a great arm. We all know that. But we’ve seen guys like Brock Purdy make the NFL and be NFL starters with that kind of size. Not to make every Brock Purdy comparison, but Sam has a lot of those same qualities. Productive college career, really efficient, really effective. I think teams, scouts and myself are really excited to see him play in Notre Dame’s offense this year.”
Chadwick: “He’s been unbelievably productive. … He played in a very quarterback-friendly system at Wake Forest, that slow-mesh system, so I’m really excited to see him in more of a pro-style offense at Notre Dame. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons why he left Wake Forest, to try to prove to NFL evaluators that it’s not just the system.”
“I think he’s been the most valuable player in PFF’s wins above average metric over the last two seasons, among any player in the country. He’s a guy that Wake Forest really relied on a ton. I think he’s probably the best Notre Dame quarterback they’ve had in the PFF era, since 2014. I could see him becoming a third- or fourth-round pick.”
Cummings: “I personally don’t see him starting at the NFL level. I do think he’s a very good college quarterback. … He’s mobile enough. He doesn’t have a super strong arm, but he’s got enough where he’s shown he can manipulate ball placement and use his mechanics to his advantage. A big part of his game at Wake Forest was his accuracy, the ability to put it where only the receiver can get it.”
“If I have an extra Day 3 pick somewhere, I’m looking at this guy and saying, ‘He’s got the toughness, he’s got the experience, he’s got the accuracy and he’s got enough mobility to work off-script, too.’ I would want him in my QB room as a QB2 or QB3.”
Infante: “He’s intelligent. In terms of making decisions and feeling comfortable in the pocket, I think Hartman is one of the better quarterbacks you can find in this draft class. The sense of timing he has on his throws is really impressive to me. Consistently, he’s able to lead guys and hit them in stride. … When you look at the sexier quarterback traits, I don’t think Hartman is gonna wow anyone in that regard. But if you’re looking for a guy who can be a solid backup in the league, I think Hartman’s your guy.”
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