Predicting Notre Dame football: Defensive Player of the Year

With Notre Dame making the final preperations for its weekend in Austin, our team makes its next round of prediction for the week: Defensive MVP.

Editor’s Note: This is the third installment in a week-long series leading up to Notre Dame’s season opener against Texas on Sunday. Check back in for a new set of predictions each day until Sunday.

We’ve moved past the minor picks and are now facing the big ones. That starts with Defensive Player of the Year. The Irish defense has a fair number of returning faces and a lot of pressure on it this season to live up to its talent and execute defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s complex scheme well.

Jaylon Smith is gone. Joe Schmidt is gone. KeiVarae Russell, Sheldon Day and Max Redfield are all gone. In their place, someone’s going to have to step up.

Greg Hadley: James Onwualu, LB

Notre Dame’s future defensive MVP also happens to be its most experienced wide receiver.

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That’s right. James Onwualu, who came to South Bend as a four-star receiver, has four career starts at the position, more than any other current wideout. But he has since made the switch to linebacker, and he has taken to his new role with comfort and ease.

Playing alongside Jaylon Smith and Joe Schmidt last season must have been an intimidating task for Onwualu, but he was up to the challenge, doing a little bit of everything. He ended the year with 38 tackles, six for loss, three sacks, two passes defended and one forced fumble. Those are decent numbers, but now that he is the undisputed alpha of the linebacking corps, expect them to be even bigger in 2016.

Apr 16, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jarron Jones (94) leaves the field following the Blue-Gold Game at Notre Dame Stadium. The Blue team defeated the Gold team 17-7. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Ben Belden: Jarron Jones, DL

This year’s defensive MVP needs to come from the interior of the defensive line. Regardless of the defensive front Notre Dame uses, Jarron Jones has the opportunity to pay dividends for the Irish defense. Jones was unable to participate in the 2015 regular season after suffering a knee injury in fall camp, but he is back and healthy for the Irish in 2016.

In his last season before injury, Jones made a difference in the middle of the Irish defense, logging 7.5 tackles for loss in 2014. For the Irish defense to successful, the interior defensive linemen must perform well for the Irish.

Although interior lineman may not accumulate the numbers of other defensive players, they are integral in occupying offensive blockers to leave linebackers free to make tackles. Some inexperience at the linebacker position can be offset by a solid front line that will allow the likes of Nyles Morgan and Greer Martini the freedom to roam the field and drag down ball carriers.

Chase Eyrich: Isaac Rochell, DL

Isaac Rochell was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, given to the nation’s best defensive player, earlier this summer, already making him on of the key players to watch this season.

It’s telling that the last Notre Dame player to receive this award was former All-American linebacker Manti Te’o in 2012. Rochell has started in 25 of his 26 games with Notre Dame in the last two seasons, and he will provide the leadership the Irish will need on defense this season as a captain. His ability to get through the line and cause chaos is second to none. Finding a way to establish a running game with him on the line is something I don’t think is possible.

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Rochell has established himself as Notre Dame’s best front seven defender and is stepping into the big shoes that Sheldon Day left behind. Many are expecting Rochell to lead the Irish in tackles, solo tackles, tackles for a loss and sacks. The scary thing is that Rochell has been held back in the past due to some issues with his back. It didn’t affect his time on the field, but did impact how much he could do in the weight room. This season he has been good to go and is no longer limited, something all Notre Dame opponents should fear.

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