Newsstand: PFF names two Notre Dame players as the best offensive guards in the NFL
According to Pro Football Focus, the two best offensive guards in the NFL once donned the Blue and Gold threads of the University of Notre Dame. This summer, PFF named Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys and Quenton Nelson of the Indianapolis Colts the No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, offensive guards in the league entering the 2023 season.
Here is what the outlet said about both players.
On Martin: Martin’s 72.8 PFF grade last season ranked ninth among guards, but in every other season of his career he finished with a top-five grade at the position. He was the only guard in the NFL to not allow any sacks while playing 700 or more pass-blocking snaps, and, on balance, it’s hard to see him not being one of the best guards in football in 2023.
On Nelson: The big question with Nelson is how much recent injuries have impacted him and what that means for him heading into the 2023 season. His PFF grade has declined in each of the past three years, but even with his struggles last season we still saw the flashes of dominance that made him the sixth overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Martin is a six-time All-Pro selection and was voted to the All-2010s Team Hall of Fame. Nelson is a three-time All-Pro.
Notre Dame tweets of the day
Martin and Nelson aren’t the only former Irish players excelling in the NFL right now. Kyle Hamilton is already receiving high praise going into his second professional season.
Kyle Rudolph was a stud in South Bend and started 145 games in the NFL with 50 career touchdown catches. And oh, by the way, he can play a little golf, too.
Marcus Freeman is one of the best recruiters as a head country in the country. Period.
Quote of the day
“Of course I got excited when I heard those words, because I had a good feeling [the offer] was coming, and once my dad and I walked into the office, Coach Freeman told me that he loved what he saw today at camp and told me in front of my dad that I officially have a scholarship offer to the University of Notre Dame.”
— 2026 quarterback recruit Noah Grubbs on receiving his offer from the Irish
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