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Notre Dame football: 3 most impactful defensive players of the Brian Kelly era

By Daniel Morrison

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 5: Jaylon Smith #9 and KeiVarae Russell #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate during a game against the Texas Longhorns at Notre Dame Stadium on September 5, 2015 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Texas 38-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 5: Jaylon Smith #9 and KeiVarae Russell #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate during a game against the Texas Longhorns at Notre Dame Stadium on September 5, 2015 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Texas 38-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame football
Notre Dame football has had some stud defensive players under Brian Kelly. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

The Notre Dame football program has produced some stellar defensive players during Brian Kelly’s run as head coach. Here are the top-3.

While the offensive success has come and gone for Notre Dame football in the Brian Kelly era, the defense has almost always been a constant. Except for the Brian VanGorder hire, the Irish have been stacked at the defensive coordinator position, and more importantly talent.

That’s the focus here, the three most impactful players during the Brian Kelly era.

Now, this isn’t who had the best NFL career, or who is most talented, though that helps in terms of being impactful. This is about who has mattered the most to the Irish defenses that they played on. While the timeframe that this fills is only 2010-20, we all know that there have been major changes to the game and Notre Dame’s program over the course of the eleven years Kelly has been in South Bend.

That turnaround has been due to players like this, who have dominated for Notre Dame football.

Irish fans owe these players a debt of gratitude, for the years and effort they’ve given to the program, and for raising it from the Charlie Weis years to making the College Football Playoff in two of the last three seasons. These are the three most impactful defensive players at Notre Dame under Brian Kelly:

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