Notre Dame Football: 5 true freshman who could make an instant impact
By Brad Weiss
Notre Dame football true freshman who could have an instant impact: Defense
The defense returns one of the best defensive backs in college football this season, as All-American safety Kyle Hamilton returns for what is likely his final season in South Bend. Alongside Hamilton at safety and cornerback, there is going to be a lot of competition, and some of the young guys will make a push to start as true freshmen.
One player, in particular, to keep your eyes on is Philip Riley an incredibly gifted cornerback from Florida. During his time in high school, Riley had to go up against premier wideouts every week, and after committing to Notre Dame, then to USC, and then back to the Irish, the program is lucky to have him.
He is going to flourish under Marcus Freeman, as will Ryan Barnes, a duo who could be terrorizing for years to come.
At linebacker, Prince Kollie is an exciting prospect as well, and while he would have been an ideal Rover in Clark Lea’s scheme, he is going to be good no matter who is in charge of the defense. He is solid against both the run, and the pass, and is adept at coming off the edge and getting into the backfield.
Next. Notre Dame Men’s Basketball: Prentiss Hubb starting to get hot. dark
If the Notre Dame football program is to continue to be a ten-win team every season, they will need this recruiting class to be as good as advertised. There is a ton of top talent coming in, and some are already early enrollees, so they should get a jump start on what is hopefully a successful collegiate career.