247Sports predicts multiple Notre Dame stars will be contending for major awards

Several member of the Irish could be taking home hardware after this fall

Not only have the preseason All-American teams being dropped, it now time to turn to who could be bringing home the individual hardware in December. With the Irish having multiple players who are being named to said All-American teams, it makes sense to see them pop up on these type of lists as well. Find out below with Irish stars that Will Backus of 247Sports believes will either win a national award or be in contention for.

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Which four Notre Dame stars made Sporting News Preseason All-American team

These four are expected to do big things

Each day we creep closer and closer to the season starting, before we know it August will be here and preseason camp will be starting up for the Irish. Sporting News is ready for the season to begin, as evident by them releasing their preseason All-American teams. Four Notre Dame players made their list, find out below who and which team made it.

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Current Notre Dame commit tries to entice recruit who commits this week

“The Great Wall of South Bend” could be close to completion

The offensive line has long been a strength for the Irish, often the moniker of [autotag]“O-Line U”[/autotag] is dropped when talking about the tradition. That tradition has a very good chance of succeeding, in the present and beyond.

Center [autotag]Jarrett Patterson[/autotag] was named a 1st team preseason All-American by Walter Camp. Rising sophomores [autotag]Joe Alt[/autotag] and [autotag]Blake Fisher[/autotag] look like stalwarts on the line for at least the next two seasons before their inevitable move to the NFL.

The 2023 recruiting class is trying to hold up their end of the bargain with [autotag]Sullivan Absher[/autotag], [autotag]Elijah Paige[/autotag], [autotag]Sam Pendleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Otting[/autotag] currently committed to the Irish. Pendleton is looking for yet another lineman to join the class, Illinois tackle [autotag]Charles Jagusah[/autotag].

If Jagusah is to commit, which he intends to do this Thursday, it would make a very impressive five commits along the line and most likely would complete the position for the 2023 cycle. As Pendleton put it, “The Great Wall of South Bend” would be complete with Jagusah.

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Three Notre Dame players on Walter Camp Preseason All-American team

Three members of the Irish get honored

The season is close, really close to opening kick-off and more outlets are releasing their preseason All-American lists. The most recent one was Walter Camp’s and multiple members of the Irish football team were singled out. Find out who and which team Walter Camp had on their preseason All-American squad.

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247Sports: Notre Dame in the mix for nations top 2023 offensive tackle

If Freeman and Hiestand pull this one off…. WOW

For many years the Irish held the mantle of [autotag]O-Line U[/autotag] and although recently there has been a slight lull in production, they could very well be taking back the title. On the current roster, three offensive linemen, tackles [autotag]Blake Fisher[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Alt[/autotag] along with center [autotag]Jarrett Patterson[/autotag] will be drafted high when they declare to the NFL.

Of the 2022 recruiting class, [autotag]Billy Schrauth[/autotag], [autotag]Joey Tanona[/autotag], [autotag]Ty Chan[/autotag] and [autotag]Aamil Wagner[/autotag] were some of the most highly thought of signees, each of them will start their careers on the o-line as well. The 2023 class already has commitments from [autotag]Sullivan Absher[/autotag] and [autotag]Sam Pendleton[/autotag], but [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] is still looking for the headliner of the offensive line.

Enter Massachusetts’ [autotag]Samson Okunlola[/autotag], a six-foot-six-inch and 295-pound future star. He’s viewed as a five-star prospect and 247Sports Brian Dohn believes that the Irish are one of the few teams that realistically have a shot at landing Okunlola’s eventual signature.

It won’t be easy for returning offensive line coach [autotag]Harry Hiestand[/autotag], as Penn State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Texas A&M, Oregon, Florida, and Pittsburgh were also mentioned as potential destinations for Okunlola as well.

Dohn, however gives the Irish a fighting chance, due to “the academics, the idea of what the degree means on a national level after graduation and playing at a prestigious school are all things that could resonate” with the mammoth tackle. What isn’t in the Irish’s favor however was that Okunlola has very to visit South Bend and didn’t stop by during his spring visit to the Midwest.

As Dohn mentions that Okunlola will take visits later in the year and most likely very few will be during the season due to his high school playing all their games on Saturday’s. Either way, Freeman and Hiestand are in for quite a battle for the tackles eventual signature, but one where they currently are seen as having a legit shot at.

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Report: Notre Dame’s top offensive lineman suffers weight room injury

Not the news you wanted to hear less than two weeks before spring practice.

Notre Dame doesn’t get spring practice started until St. Patrick’s Day but the Fighting Irish have already suffered a significant injury this spring.

According to a report from Tim Prister of Irish Illustrated, fifth-year senior center Jarrett Patterson tore a pectoral muscle while bench-pressing earlier this week.  The reports says the injury requires surgery that will keep Patterson sidelined this spring but that he should be good to go for the Sept. 3 opener at Ohio State.

Patterson has been a mainstay on Notre Dame’s offensive line, starting 34 games over the past three seasons.  He’s widely seen as one of the best centers in all of college football entering the 2022 season.

It’s good that Patterson should be ready to go by September but this clearly isn’t the news you want to wake up to if you’re a Notre Dame fan.

Related:

Happy birthday to college football legend Knute Rockne

Game-by-game predictions for Notre Dame football in 2022

Two Notre Dame captains announce returns for 2022

More good news for Notre Dame on the staying or going front…

Notre Dame had a stellar weekend as the Fighting Irish football team were big time winners in recruiting battles to keep a few of their own on campus for another year.  The Irish had already received word that the likes of Isaiah Foskey as well as both Jayson and Justin Amedilola would be returning to the football team in 2022.

Then on Sunday, Marcus Freeman and company received official word that 2021 captains Avery Davis and Jarrett Patterson would both be returning as well.

Davis hauled in 27 receptions for 386 yards and four touchdowns last season before tearing his ACL in November while Patterson was probably Notre Dame’s best offensive lineman a year ago, manning the center position.

This news paired with the commitment of All-American safety Brandon Joseph in the transfer portal meant for a fantastic weekend for Notre Dame football.

Related:

Early look at Notre Dame’s 2022 schedule

2022 Notre Dame transfer portal tracker

Giants select QB Matt Corral in latest PFN mock draft

In the latest Pro Football Network mock draft (three rounds), the New York Giants select QB Matt Corral to replace QB Daniel Jones.

The New York Giants desperately need help along the offensive line. They need a center, two guards and one right tackle. If they’re unable to address and fix those issues this offseason, they’ve failed.

For that reason, the Giants must use at least some of their early draft resources to shore up the offensive line.

But Cam Mellor of Pro Football Network doesn’t see it that way. In fact, he has the Giants completely avoiding the O-Line with each of their two first-round picks.

At No. 5 overall, Mellor has Big Blue selecting Purdue edge rusher George Karlaftis.

It’s time for the other New York team to pick. With back-to-back selections, the G-Men grab George Karlaftis from Purdue.

A sensational pass rusher when he’s got time to get moving, Karlaftis is scratching the surface of his raw talent. The Giants grab the third edge defender in five picks before making a splash pick next.

Karlaftis makes sense and is a name we’ve seen mocked to the Giants with frequency. But this pick only works if New York follows it up with an offensive lineman, which they do not as Mellor then has New York nabbing Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral at No. 6 overall.

It is very likely that the Giants secure the services of a quarterback in the 2022 offseason. If they don’t grab Russell Wilson, they’ll absolutely look to secure their top quarterback with one of their first-round picks. The selection here is Matt Corral as the Ole Miss quarterback presents all the upside with few questions about his game.

There is “absolutely” no guarantee the Giants will use a first-round pick on a quarterback. In fact, it seems extremely unlikely that they will with Joe Judge having already committed to Daniel Jones in 2022.

Beyond just that however, would the Giants really be better off with Corral under center and behind this line than Jones? If that problem isn’t solved — and it likely won’t be through free agency — then the team is just spinning its wheels.

In Round 2, Mellor has the Giants passing on available offensive linemen and trading down with the Cleveland Browns (New York gets picks Nos. 46 and 77 and a 2023 fifth-round pick in exchange for No. 37).

With the 46th overall pick, the Giants select…not an offensive lineman.

46) New York Giants (from Cleveland)
Henry To’o To’o, LB, Alabama

How about No. 70, their first third-round pick? Still no.

70) New York Giants
Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

It’s not until pick No. 77 overall (Round 3) that Mellor finally — finally — has the Giants selecting an offensive lineman. And it’s not even a right tackle prospect.

77) New York Giants (from Cleveland)
Thayer Munford, G, Ohio State

Two picks later, the Giants take another 50-50 prospect. And again, it’s on the interior.

79) New York Giants
Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame

This would be an atrocious and terrible draft for the Giants. Outside of Karlaftis in Round 1 and the potential value of To’oTo’o in Round 2, this mock solves almost none of the Giants’ problems and would leave whatever quarterback is under center in 2022 lacking.

How would you feel about this draft, Giants fans? Let us know in the comments below.

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Giants land safety Kyle Hamilton in latest Draft Wire mock

In the latest mock from Draft Wire, the New York Giants use one of their two first-round picks on Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton.

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The New York Giants will enter the offseason with a desperate need to repair their lines. That means finding a right tackle and some interior guys to fix their O-Line once and for all, while also landing an edge rusher who can create organic pressure.

But offensive line and defensive line aren’t the only positions that will need attention. The Giants will also need some running back depth, a tight end, a linebacker or two and potentially a quarterback.

The quarterback debate can wait for another day.

In the most recent mock from our friends at Draft Wire, the Giants immediately address one of those needs by selecting Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal at No. 5 overall.

This is a huge win for the Giants, who land this year’s top offensive tackle prospect with their first of two top-10 picks. Neal has been dominant against top competition in the SEC, and would team up with Andrew Thomas to give the Giants a pair of young studs at tackle to protect whoever ends up being their franchise quarterback.

What even needs to be said? If the Giants can land Neal come April, it’s a win for the organization.

It’s the next pick that may be considered somewhat controversial. Rather than going back-to-back on offensive linemen or snagging an edge rusher, Draft Wire has the Giants selecting Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton at No. 6 overall.

After landing an blue-chip prospect for the offense, the Giants do the same for the other side of the ball with Hamilton. Despite missing a decent chunk of the 2021 season due to injury, Hamilton is still the rare safety prospect who warrants a top-10 selection.

The Giants may move on from Jabrill Peppers, but will still have Logan Ryan, Julian Love and emerging superstar Xavier McKinney at safety. As talented as Hamilton is, is he worthy of the team’s second first-round pick when there are so many other more pressing needs?

Moving on down the line, Draft Wire has the Giants addressing their pass rush in Round 2 by selecting Florida State edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II.

Then, in Round 3, Draft Wire has the Giants going back to the well in the secondary and along the offensive line. At No. 70 overall, they select Oregon cornerback Mykael Wright and at No. 78 overall, they select Notre Dame offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson.

How would you feel about this three-round scenario, Giants fans? Sound off in the comments section.

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Five Stars: The best and worst of Notre Dame’s win against FSU

There was some good and some bad tonight for Notre Dame

Football was finally back and although it started quick for the Irish, looked a bit unsettling, then the Irish took control of the game. Florida State didn’t give up, and continued to stay in the game, but the Irish had enough of a fight in them to battle all the way through overtime and return to South Bend with a 41-38. It’s always a crap shoot for openers, teams have the whole offseason to prepare, but the Irish fixed their issues and eventually gutted out tough victory in a difficult environment.