Notre Dame Football: What players have a value similar to GameStop?

Notre Dame football: DJ Brown (Safety)

D.J. Brown was a three-star prospect in Notre Dame’s 2018 recruiting class. After only appearing in one game during his true freshman season, Brown saw additional playing time in 2019. However, that was also the year that Kyle Hamilton joined the Notre Dame football team and pretty much outshined every other player in the safety position group.

Heading into the 2020 season, it looked like Brown had a decent chance to earn significant playing time. During the off-season, however, Notre Dame added graduate transfer safety Isaiah Pryor and also moved Shaun Crawford from cornerback to safety.

Those roster moves seemed to indicate that the coaching staff was not too confident in players like DJ Brown.

Brown saw action in 11 games during the 2020 season and recorded eight total tackles and two pass break-ups. He was in a position to intercept at least two passes last season but was not able to make those plays. If those two plays go differently, Brown would have had the most interceptions on the team.

When Houston Griffith announced he was entering the transfer portal, many people thought that DJ Brown was again in a position to potentially step into a starting role. However, Griffith ultimately decided to return to Notre Dame and is now the favorite to start alongside Kyle Hamilton.

Brown is again projected to be a rotation player in 2021. Expectations for him are modest at best, and his future beyond this season is uncertain due to the growing popularity of the transfer portal.

I think there is a scenario in which Brown could play a significant role in 2021. That scenario starts with Notre Dame’s new defensive coordinator, Marcus Freeman. Freeman led one of the best pass defenses in the country last season, as Cincinnati ranked sixth in yards allowed per pass attempt.

The Bearcats also recorded 16 interceptions and 38 pass break-ups. Freeman has proved he knows how to get the most out of his players.

Additionally, this will be the first time Houston Griffith has been in a starting role at Notre Dame. There is no guarantee he will retain that position throughout the season. If Griffith underperforms, Freeman could shift the number of snaps in favor of a player like DJ Brown.