If it feels like the NFL Draft just happened, well, that’s because it sort of did.
It’s only been a couple months since eight Notre Dame players were selected in the 2021 draft. That marked the most Irish players to hear their names called since 2014.
Is it too early to look ahead to the 2022 draft? Perhaps. But Phil Steele doesn’t think so. Steele listed the top draft eligible players at every position in his annual college football preview magazine, which you can find here.
Though Notre Dame has to retool a roster that only has nine returning starters, a couple handfuls of Irish players popped up in Steele’s rankings. Here’s a look at who they were.
Draft Eligible Player Rankings
No. 3 running back: Junior Kyren Williams
No. 24 offensive guard: Graduate senior Cain Madden
No. 65 offensive tackle: Graduate senior Josh Lugg
No. 74 defensive end: Junior Isaiah Foskey
No. 23 defensive tackle: Graduate senior Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa*
No. 56 defensive tackle: Senior Jayson Ademilola
No. 58 defensive tackle: Graduate senior Kurt Hinish
No. 28 inside linebacker: Graduate senior Drew White
No. 1 free safety: Junior Kyle Hamilton
No. 17 kicker: Graduate senior Jonathan Doerer
No. 21 punter: Junior Jay Bramblett
*Tagovailoa-Amosa made the move from defensive tackle to defensive end this spring
Blue & Gold Takeaways
1. Given Notre Dame only has three returning starters on offense and six on defense, it’s no surprise Steele has more defensive players listed as top prospects.
It’s not an overwhelmingly deep running back class, but it’s still impressive that Notre Dame has what Steele views as one of the three best backs in the country in Williams. The addition of Madden from Marshall almost certainly aids in Williams’ effort to improve upon his 1,125 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns from last year too.
2. Notre Dame’s defensive line should be a strength. Hinish and Tagovailoa-Amosa return as starters, with the latter moving from tackle to end. That duo combined for 13.0 tackles for loss last season.
Foskey is in line to start at the opposite end. He displayed a propensity to get to the quarterback as a sophomore with 4.5 sacks despite not starting in any games.
Ademilola, the projected starter at defensive tackle, might have the most to prove of the bunch. He has yet to record more than 15 tackles in any season, but Tagovailoa-Amosa’s move to the edge opens up an avenue for the disruptive lineman to shine.
3. Hamilton doesn’t have anything to prove, meanwhile. Notre Dame coaches know what he can do. Notre Dame fans know what he can do. And it’s evident the national media knows what he can do.
Steele slotted Hamilton as the best free safety in the country because as a sophomore he led the Irish in tackles with 63 — 4.5 of which were for a loss — and ranked third on the team in passes defended with six.
Hamilton is a difference maker as a rusher and can lock down opposing receivers and running backs in the secondary. Steele also listed him as the team’s only First Team All-America selection. Madden made the second team while senior offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson made the third team.
4. Lastly, experience on special teams is always a plus. Notre Dame has veterans in the kicking game with Doerer having attempted 44 field goals in his career and Bramblett booting 106 career punts.
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