Notre Dame football: Predicting five breakout players for 2016
By Greg Hadley
Devin Studstill
An early enrollee this spring, Studstill was already a breakout star in spring practices, earning rave reviews from coaches and teammates and some first-team reps at free safety.
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Studstill was just a three-star recruit coming out of high school, but take a look at his tape and you can see why the Irish are so high on him. He possesses the strength to lay huge hits in the open field, but also the speed to close quickly keep pace with the quickest receivers. He played receiver himself in high school, and that has benefited his footwork tremendously.
It’s no secret incumbent starter and senior Max Redfield is on thin ice with the team’s coaching staff. Kelly and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder have benched him in the past for inconsistent play, and while he was hurt early this spring, they were comfortable subbing Studstill in his place.
While Redfield did enjoy a strong Blue-Gold Game in April, Studstill didn’t play so bad himself, and given Redfield’s track record, I would be surprised if Studstill doesn’t wind up starting, and impressing, at some point this season. Once he grabs that top spot, he’ll be tough to dislodge.
Next: Better late than never