Tag: Cam Hart

Joe Hortiz reflects on first draft as Chargers general manager: ‘I really believe we made our team better’

Joe Hortiz completed his first draft as Chargers general manager and it’s safe to say it was a major success.

Joe Hortiz completed his first draft as the Chargers general manager and it’s safe to say it was a major success. 

Los Angeles stuck with their No. 5 first overall pick and snagged the best offensive tackle in Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. Additionally, the team added two players, Ladd McConkey and Junior Colson, on Day 2. On Day 3, six more players were selected, adding depth for now and the roster’s future. 

“The opportunity to take the players we took, each time we were just excited to take every one of them,” Hortiz added. “I really believe we made our team better.”

According to Hortiz, the third day of the draft was arguably the most crucial, adding that championship teams are expected to elevate their rosters in rounds four through seven. 

“That’s where the scouts and coaches really do their work,” Hortiz said. “Everyone has their mock drafts on the first and second and third rounds. And honestly, you could pick 36 or 37 players on Day 1 and you’ll get 32 of them right.

“But Day 3 is when the information is not as readily available and that’s where you trust your scouts,” Hortiz added. “Our scouts did a great job knowing the players and identifying the ones that can help us.”

The draft class included nine players at six different position groups. 

“These players fit the Chargers profile, and we really believe all nine of these guys do,” Hortiz said. “You want high-character players, you want highly competitive players, passionate players, intelligent, durable, tough. Guys that care about each other. And I can really say that about every one of them.

“We had the blue star that we brought with us here … we drafted three of them, “Hortiz continued. “We don’t got a bunch of them, each scout gets one. They put it on a guy and we were able to take three of them.

“Frankly, all nine of these players can be blue star-type players, but we’re limited in the number we can give out so you pick one, put it on,” Hortiz added. “That’s a real positive thing for us.”

Following the draft, the Chargers’ roster is in much better standing. They addressed the positions of need that we highlighted ahead of the event with players who mostly ranked higher or aligned with the consensus big board.

Poll: What grade do you give Chargers’ 2024 draft class?

We want to know what you thought of the Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh’s draft haul.

The 2024 NFL draft is officially in the rearview.

The Chargers kicked off the draft by finding their starting right tackle in Joe Alt.

On Day 2, general manager Joe Hortiz brought in wide receiver Ladd McConkey and linebacker Junior Colson.

On the final day, Los Angeles defensive tackle Justin Egboigbe, cornerbacks Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, running back Kimani Vidal and wide receivers Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson.

That said, we want to know what you thought of the Bolts’ draft class. Did you like the picks that L.A. made?

Vote in the poll below.

Notre Dame football 2024 NFL Draft Tacker

Football might not be fully back (unless you’re a fan of the UFL) but the NFL draft always offers football fans a breath of fresh air each spring. Whether you’re a bigger fan of the college game or NFL game, you’re covered as the draft has become a …

Football might not be fully back (unless you’re a fan of the UFL) but the NFL draft always offers football fans a breath of fresh air each spring.

Whether you’re a bigger fan of the college game or NFL game, you’re covered as the draft has become a much bigger event the last 30 years than a man in a suit reading names off of an index card.

Notre Dame is a football factory, producing more NFL draft picks than any other college throughout history. USC is knocking at Notre Dame’s door but the Irish still hold the edge.

We tracked where every Notre Dame player was selected this past weekend as well as where each signed an undrafted free agent deal.

Selection: No. 5 to the Los Angeles Chargers | First Round

In the long lineage of great Notre Dame offensive linemen, [autotag]Joe Alt[/autotag] is right near the top of the list of the best ever. Alt was an All-American by most outlets each of the last two seasons and perfectly fits the physical mold that Jim Harbaugh has build his successful teams at Stanford, Michigan, and with the San Francisco 49ers previously.

Related: Joe Alt Photo Gallery at Notre Dame

Selection: No. 59 to the Houston Texans | Second Round

Blake Fisher was Notre Dame’s most-prized recruit in the 2021 recruiting cycle and quickly lived up to the expectations. Fisher became just the second true-freshman to start at left tackle in a season opener, doing so against Florida State in 2021. Fisher however suffered a knee injury that night and missed the rest of the regular season. He returned for the bowl game that year and although he didn’t meet his sky-high expectations in blue and gold, put himself in position to become a second round draft pick after just three years in college.

Selection: No. 87 to the Dallas Cowboys | Third Round

Marist Liufau missed all of the 2021 season at Notre Dame due to a nasty leg and ankle injury, but by 2022 played more downs than any other Fighting Irish defender. He showed an important ability, availability that is, by starting 24-straight games from 2022-2023 before opting to sit out of Notre Dame’s dominating Sun Bowl win over Oregon State this past December. Liufau has tremendous athleticism as he can get after opposing quarterbacks while also being strong in coverage, but at times can get caught guessing, too.

Selection: No. 140 to the Los Angeles Chargers | Fifth Round

[autotag]Cam Hart[/autotag] shouldn’t be here. After three shoulder surgeries at Notre Dame, he should be getting ready to enter the traditional workforce. Instead, he bounced back from all of those to help a Notre Dame secondary that has been among the nation’s very best the last two seasons. Clearly a leader, Hart was voted a Notre Dame captain, something a cornerback hadn’t been in the program in nearly 20 years previously.

Selection: No. 143 to the Atlanta Falcons | Fifth Round

JD Bertrand is headed home as the suburban Atlanta product was selected in the fifth-round by the Falcons. Bertrand will be missed at Notre Dame as the reliable linebacker led the Fighting Irish in tackles over the past three seasons. Bertrand is a solid blitzer but could use some growth in finishing tackles, something he struggled with during his time at Notre Dame.

Selection: No. 147 to the Denver Broncos | Fifth Round

[autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] only spent three seasons at Notre Dame but goes down as one of the most accomplished running backs in program history. Estime set the single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a Notre Dame player this past year while putting up the seventh-most rushing yards in a single-season ever by a Notre Dame back. Despite his clearly ridiculous physical build, Estime is much more versatile and explosive as a runner than one might expect.

Selection: No. 222 to the Washington Commanders | Seventh Round

Javontate Jean-Baptiste spent just 2023 at Notre Dame after being a graduate transfer from Ohio State. Jean-Baptiste led Notre Dame with five sacks in 2023 and was very strong against the run. He also measured out great at the NFL combine, a likely factor in him getting selected in the draft’s final round.

Selection: Washington Commanders | Undrafted Free Agent

Sam Hartman spent one year at Notre Dame and although he didn’t live upto lofty expectations, he did put up impressive numbers. Hartman doesn’t bring a monster arm or that impressive of measurables but his leadership, production, and ability to overcome some rather nasty injuries and health concerns are major reasons the Washington Commanders extended an impressive offer his way despite him being undrafted.

Selection: Los Angeles Chargers | Undrafted Free Agent

Harper spent just one season at Notre Dame after transferring form Oklahoma State but brought sure tackling to the Fighting Irish defense. Harper finished his one season at Notre Dame with 41 tackles while being rated by Pro Football Focus as the nation’s sixth-best tackling cornerback.

Selection: Indianapolis Colts | Undrafted Free Agent

Spencer Shrader spent one year at Notre Dame after transferring from South Florida. Shrader brought a monster leg to the Fighting Irish football program but although he could kick the ball seemingly a mile, his accuracy was inconsistent. If he can become more accurate his leg strength certainly plays at the NFL level as his 54-yard field goal at North Carolina State this past September is the longest in Notre Dame history.

Selection: Indianapolis Colts | Undrafted Free Agent

Notre Dame quietly has become quite the place to develop longsnappers and Vinson is the latest in that. “Milk” as his teammates call him, was on the Patrick Mannelly Award watchlist for the nation’s best longsnapper each of the last two seasons and his dependability will certainly be missed at Notre Dame.

2024 NFL Draft – Chargers Take Another Notre Dame Standout in 5th Round

ANOTHER Notre Dame player goes to the Chargers. Congrats Cam!

The Los Angeles Chargers have quite the recent history of drafting former Notre Dame standouts and that continued again this weekend.

Two days after making [autotag]Joe Alt[/autotag] their first-round draft pick at No. 5 overall they selected his college teammate [autotag]Cam Hart[/autotag] at No. 140 overall in the fifth-round.

Hart has been a standout cornerback for Notre Dame the last three years, playing in 36 of 38 games in that time before sitting out this past year’s Sun Bowl.

Hart forced three fumbles, made 21 tackles, and three tackles-for-loss this past season as he also played a key part in Notre Dame having what was statistically one of the best pass defenses nationally in 2023.

Hart finishes his Notre Dame career with a pair of interceptions, both of which came during the 2022 season.

Instant analysis of Chargers selecting CB Cam Hart

Analyzing the Los Angeles Chargers’ selection of Notre Dame CB Cam Hart with the 140th overall selection.

The Chargers have doubled up at cornerback.

After selecting Maryland CB Tarheeb Still with the 137th pick, Los Angeles went back to the well at 140, selecting Notre Dame CB Cam Hart.

A three-year starter at Notre Dame, Hart has long been a potential Chargers target after LA sent scouts to multiple Fighting Irish games in 2023. New safeties coach Chris O’Leary was also in South Bend with Hart prior to taking the job with Los Angeles and Jim Harbaugh.

Hart gave up more than 25 yards in a game just once in 2023, thanks to a combination of length and GPS speed (23.01 mph) that defies his pedestrian 4.50 40-yard dash time. While not a ball-hawk corner – Hart did not have an interception in his last 32 games in college – he comes with a fascinating package of tools that will make him a valuable punt gunner at the very least.

Hart does come with some injury risk – he’s had three shoulder surgeries in the last five years, including offseason surgery between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. But if he stays healthy, his eyes and athleticism could very well turn him into a starting corner for Los Angeles for years to come.

2024 NFL draft: Chargers pick CB Cam Hart with No. 140 overall selection

The Chargers added to the cornerback room with the selection of Cam Hart.

The Chargers selected former Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart with the No. 140 overall pick.

After drafting Tarheeb Still, Los Angeles double dipped at the position by adding Hart.

With over 30 starts under his belt, Hart finished his college career with 90 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 17 pass breakups and two interceptions.

At 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, Hart is a big corner with good speed to carry receivers downfield and plus zone coverage skills to read, react and make plays on underneath routes.

Hart will have the opportunity to earn a starting job early on.

Bucs’ 2024 NFL draft scenarios: Cornerback

The trade of longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III pushed the potential need to draft a corner to the forefront. While the Bucs will want to see if Zyon McCollum has what it takes to start, they’re not likely to start the 2024 …

The trade of longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III pushed the potential need to draft a corner to the forefront. While the Bucs will want to see if Zyon McCollum has what it takes to start, they’re not likely to start the 2024 season without a backup plan, or at the very least some added depth.

When it comes to defensive backs, Bucs general manager Jason Licht definitely has a type. Out of the 13 defensive backs Licht has drafted in his 10 years as general manager, just one was under 195 pounds: Special teams ace Ryan Smith. Licht likes his corners big, tall, and usually, fast.

This strategy has largely worked out for head coach Todd Bowles and his defense, as the secondary played a key role in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV victory and the defense’s overall resurgence since 2019. Bowles’ aggression and frequent blitzing forces his cornerbacks to be well-rounded, versatile defenders.

Of all the top cornerbacks available, DeJean not only meets the traits thresholds, but he is a perfect fit for what Todd Bowles wants from his defense. At six feet and 202 pounds, DeJean is at worst a little short for an ideal Bucs cornerback, but he plays with every ounce of his being.

The Iowa corner is one of the best run defenders in this year’s draft class, and can play multiple positions in the secondary. While the Bucs need an outside corner most of all, DeJean would be an overall weapon for Bowles not unlike All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. If he falls to the 26th pick and the top pass-rushers are off the board, DeJean should be the pick for Tampa Bay.

McKinstry is a relatively safe pick. He has the requisite traits to play cornerback in the NFL, and his play for the Crimson Tide indicates he is a smart and instinctive defensive back. The only real problem is he does not have a ton of upside, which is less than ideal for a potential first-round pick.

At 5’11” and 196 pounds, McKinstry just meets the Bucs’ typical threshold for a cornerback. He has NFL-quality cover skills, but his run defense leaves much to be desired. Overall, he is an awkward style fit for Todd Bowles defense, but he would give them a boost as a cover corner.

If Jason Licht’s historical drafting patterns are any indication, Hart is a bulls-eye target for the Bucs this year. He brings ideal size at 6’3″ and 202 pounds, and enough athleticism to hang with NFL wide receivers. There are technique deficiencies in coverage, and Hart lacks ball production, but these are the same problems Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean had coming out. Hart is the kind of bet Licht tends to make in the middle of draft, and could be taken with one of the Bucs’ third-round picks.

Anusiem has the two key traits the Bucs look for in a cornerback: size and speed. Anusiem is six feet and 200 pounds, and ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at his pro day. What is missing is production and refined technique. What will get him over the hump with Tampa Bay is the attitude he brings to the field. Anusiem will start out on special teams, but he is the kind of player who will fight for every rep at cornerback.

The Bucs’ size threshold on defensive backs is not absolute, but there is usually some mitigating factor. Ryan Smith was just 5’11” and 189 pounds, but he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash and was highly productive coming out of North Carolina Central in the FCS, recording 168 tackles over his collegiate career.

Drew bears a similar profile at 5’11” and 191 pounds,with a 4.46 40 time. Drew was a terror for Division II quarterbacks, recording 11 interceptions and 39 pass break-ups in 28 starts at Virginia State. He plays aggressively and shows promising ball skills. Drew is by no means a prospective replacement for Carlton Davis III, but he could be a solid depth addition with the Bucs’ sixth-round pick.

Commanders to host Notre Dame cornerback on top 30 visit

The Commanders to host another cornerback on a pre-draft visit.

The Washington Commanders will soon host another cornerback on a top-30 visit. According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, Washington will host Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart on a pre-draft visit.

Hart, like Elijah Jones of Boston College, who will also visit Washington, has some high-level traits. While neither are first-round prospects, both are long, athletic corners, something Washington head coach Dan Quinn has always liked.

Hart is 6-foot-3, 202 pounds, and ran the 40 in 4.5 seconds at the 2024 NFL combine. One game that will stand out to evaluators is Notre Dame’s game against Ohio State, where he matched up with Marvin Harrison Jr. and more than held his own. Harrison caught three passes for 32 yards on that day.

Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. have an outstanding history of developing defensive backs, with DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs being the most recent examples. It’s clear the Commanders are looking for help at cornerback in the draft and believe they can find one in the third round or later.

 

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 49, Notre Dame CB Cam Hart

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

On paper, the Green Bay Packers appear to have a solid group of cornerbacks. Jaire Alexander is an all-pro caliber player. Carrington Valentine showed promise last season as a seventh-round rookie. Keisean Nixon is back to man the nickel position. If Eric Stokes can rediscover his rookie form, the Packers could be cooking with gas. 

Can Alexander and Stokes stay healthy? Are the Packers willing to put all their eggs in the Valentine basket? 

There is no denying that the room has talent, but clouds are approaching, ready to damper expectations.

With those question marks surrounding the cornerback room, the Packers will likely add a body to that room for the sake of competition and depth. 

A prospect that Brian Gutekunst could target is Notre Dame’s Cam Hart. The Notre Dame prospect checks in at No. 49 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

Hart, a Maryland native, suffered a season-ending injury during his first season at South Bend. The following season he broke up two passes in four games. During the 2021 season, Hart recorded 41 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and seven pass deflections. In 2022, Hart recorded three tackles for loss and broke up four passes.

During his final season at South Bend, Hart recorded three tackles for loss and broke up four passes.

“He was instrumental in the secondary for the defense,” Luciano Antonini, a writer for The Irish Tribune, said. “Every time he was out there he made an impact, and every time he wasn’t it was noticeable.”

Hart is a long cornerback who chokes passing lanes and smothers wide receivers in coverage. The Notre Dame cornerback has good eyes and isn’t afraid to jump routes. He has the straight-line speed to stay attached to wide receivers downfield. He uses those long arms to be disruptive at the catch point. Hart played wide receiver in high school and showcased plus ball skills. 

“If I were a general manager, I’d like his size,” Antonini said. “He reminds me a lot of Sauce Gardner with his close coverage ability and the way he uses size against all types of receivers. They didn’t start throwing in his direction until Benjamin Morrison showed up. His greatest strength is his length paired with his athleticism. There aren’t many 6 ‘2/6’ 3 corners that can run with any wideout. He showed out really well in press coverage and good instincts in zone coverage.”

Hart isn’t afraid of bodying up wide receivers downfield and that physicality shows up in run support. The Notre Dame cornerback won’t back down in run support. He closes downhill with burst and is a reliable open-field tackler. According to Pro Football Focus, Hart was charged with just four missed tackles this past season. 

“Harts is not afraid to do the dirty work,” Antonini said. “He’s not afraid to blitz or cover even when he gets beat; he uses his large size and frame to his advantage, which is why he wins a lot of his reps.”

During his time at South Bend, Hart logged 281 snaps on special teams, including a career-high 109 snaps this past season.

Fit with the Packers

Alexander will start on the boundary and Nixon will be in the slot. Those two are locked in as starters in the secondary. The question is, who will start opposite Alexander when the Packers kick off the season? 

If Stokes can stay healthy and put together a strong training camp, it will likely be the former first-round pick in the starting lineup. 

It’s a safe bet that Gutekunst will want to add competition and potentially an insurance policy to the mix. 

Hart is a large-framed athlete who has tools that can’t be coached. If the Packers miss out on a cornerback in the first two rounds, Hart could be a potential target in the third round or early on Day 3. 

“I would draft Hart strictly off of his size and athleticism that goes along with his coverage skills,” Antonini. “He’s not afraid to be physical, which will be a huge asset in the pass and run game.”

A team can never have enough talented defensive backs. Hart passes the eye test with his size and athleticism. If he doesn’t see the field on defense as a rookie, he’d still make an impact due to his special teams experience. 

10 defensive backs for the Ravens to watch at the 2024 NFL combine

We’re looking at ten defensive backs for the Baltimore Ravens to watch during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine

The Ravens are in Indianapolis for the NFL combine, and GM Eric DeCosta will be front and center to watch the defensive backs and tight ends work out.

Cornerback depth will be a massive priority for Baltimore, and there will be changes this offseason with Ronald Darby, Arthur Maulet, and Rock-Ya-Sin all pending free agents.

With Day 2 of on-field workouts set to begin, we’re looking at ten defensive backs for the Ravens to watch.