Notre Dame Football: Ranking 2020’s most impactful players – 20-16
By Andrew Hall
18. Houston Griffith (Safety)
Best Ranking: No. 14
Worst Ranking: No. 22
In 2018, Griffith was the top recruit in Notre Dame’s class. When the season begins on Saturday, Houston Griffith will find himself positioned behind a sixth year player who never played safety at the collegiate level and has suffered several season ending injuries. Is Shaun Crawford merely a placeholder until Griffith can emerge?
At this point, the answer to that question is no. Griffith, in his third year as a Notre Dame player has seen the field frequently but has failed to find a permanent landing spot. As a Freshman, Griffith was used as the Nickel cornerback for the majority of Notre Dame’s undefeated campaign. Last year, Griffith appeared less after moving back to Cornerback in hopes of winning the boundary cornerback spot. However, he eventually succumbed to fellow Junior Tariq Bracy.
With Crawford’s injury history, it is unlikely that he will complete a single season without a scratch. With Crawford playing at a more contact heavy spot like safety, it seems more likely he will suffer a significant injury. This could mean that Griffith will get an opportunity to show what he can do on a daily basis.