So can anyone with knowledge of the ND roster tell me who we should watch out for on both offense and defense, aside from Jaylon Smith and Ronnie Stanley?
I'm not super knowledgeable, but here is what I can find online:
On DL, Romeo Okwara (Sr, leader in sacks on ND last year) I think is going to be the main guy to watch at DE, but he's not great and they have a number of other players equally as good (Isaac Rochell, Kolin Hill, Andrew Trumbetti). Their DEs are not a strength, and I'd hope we could exploit that. Sheldon Day (Sr) is hurt often at DT, but dude is a monster when healthy. He was team captain. Has 16.5 tackles for loss in his career, started 19 games. He's not huge (6-2, 285), but he's good. Jarron Jones is their bigger nose tackle, also a senior. He's 6-5, 315. Had 7.5 TFL last year.
Sum: they start 3 seniors and a junior. We are going to have a tough time I think pushing back the interior, though their DT/NG are good, not great. We should have an easier time playing off their DEs.
Linebackers - Jaylon Smith is sick. I don't think his position is set for next year between Will or Sam. Their Mike LB, Joe Schmidt, was hurt for a lot of the year last year but led the team in tackles when he went down on Nov 1. They also supposedly have a younger guy, Nyles Morgan, who is pretty good but may not get to start depending on where Jaylon Smith plays. They seem pretty solid though, which could be trouble for us.
DB - Looks like they got two solid cornerbacks in Kei-Varae Russell (Sr) and Cole Luke (Jr). Safeties are also experienced (Jr. and Sr.) but don't appear to be quite as good as advertised. One guy, Redfield, was a five star and only a Junior, so he could turn it around, but I don't think either plays with a good football IQ.
On offense, obviously Malik Zaire took over for Golson at the end of the year last year. Tarean Folston is a good but not great RB who rushed for about 900 yards last year. He will get the majority of carries with Greg Bryant as more of a change of pace / big play guy. Not a lot of depth either.
WR Will Fuller is the guy to watch, and is probably NDs best skill player. 79 catches, 1100 yards, 15 TDs. He's only 6-0, 181, but he's very fast and runs great routes. They've got a couple other decent pass catchers (CJ Prosise, Chris Brown, Corey Robinson - both of whom had 500 yards receiving). All of those guys are seniors or juniors.
Not much going on a TE. Low pass catching numbers, although supposedly they are good run blockers. Next to Ronnie Stanley is Nick Martin, who is supposed to be a pretty good left guard (5th year senior who moved from center). I'm not sure who will start at center instead of Hegarty - Martin could be moved back to center to open up a sport for Nelson, a five star sophomore, or Harrell who is a Senior but doesn't have much experience. Their right side of the line doesn't seem nearly as good as the left.
)
