Notre Dame Football: Reloading at defensive back
Going into the offseason defensive back was likely the position to cause most people to worry when thinking about the future of Notre Dame’s football team.
Notre Dame’s recruiting had been average at best and with the departure of three starters (Troy Pride, Alohi Gilman, and Jalen Elliot) the Irish looked to be in a tough spot heading into the 2020 season. The only two guys keep that position afloat were freshmen All-American safety Kyle Hamilton and veteran cornerback, Shaun Crawford.
Just to be clear Hamilton was an All-American amongst all freshmen in the country, not a true All-American (although many, including myself, believe he will earn that title as well one day). Crawford’s career has been tainted by injury after injury, but when he is able to play he is a great asset to have.
Other than those two, both defensive back positions were left with question marks as to who the other starters would be. Houston Griffith and Tariq Bracy were the presumed starters opposite to Hamilton and Crawford, but nothing was set in stone as far and depth was a notable concern. That was until the staff decided to make some additions…
Enter Isiah Pryor and Nick McCloud
These two grad transfers were huge additions to the defensive back group and their impact will surely be felt come this fall. Isaiah Pryor a safety and graduate of Ohio State University definitely, joined the Irish in early January. Whereas Nick McCloud, a cornerback, and graduate of North Carolina State University has just announced his commitment within the past couple weeks. According to 247Sports, Pryor was a top 100 recruit coming out of high school when he made his pledge to the Buckeyes. McCloud, on the other hand, was a starter and team captain during his career at NC State.
They both transferred for various reasons, Pryor because he was lost in the depth chart at OSU and lacked playing time. Which to some might not sound like a good thing, but OSU is known for churning out great defensive backs and getting them to the pros, so Pryor while talented was given much time to shine, whereas McCloud had spent the majority of last season on the sidelines with a knee injury and was looking for a fresh start.
A Closer Look…
During his time with the Buckeyes, Pryor totaled 47 tackles and one interception in 31 games. He also has two years of eligibility remaining. While he isn’t a lock to start with competition from the previously mentioned Houston Griffith, depth went from a big concern to another season of having at least three playmaking safeties. For a more detailed breakdown of Pryor and what Irish fans should expect, click here.
While he was with the Wolfpack, McCloud tallied three interceptions, 20 pass breakups, and 105 tackles in 18 starts. McCloud looks to start opposite Tariq Bracy, while allowing Crawford to play Nickel (the role Notre Dame originally recruited him for) and will allow Crawford to not have to play as much and risk yet another injury. For a full breakdown of McCloud and what to anticipate, click here.
Next. Notre Dame football: Who will be next to commit to the Irish?. dark
The Irish surely strengthened both defensive back positions this offseason with the help of grad transfers and they have already added one grad transfer on the offensive side of the ball. Another grad transfer is announcing his commitment soon and all signs point towards Notre Dame. Be on the lookout for an article breaking down these two and their impact on their position groups in the near future!