Notre Dame football: Top-5 defensive players returning in 2021
By Brad Weiss
Isaiah Foskey fills some big shoes upfront on defense
As we spoke about earlier, the Notre Dame football program is losing two key edge rushers this offseason, as Ade Ogundeji and Daelin Hayes are both looking to get drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft. Both players had a tremendous Senior Bowl week, and should be draft picks this year, which is a testament to how well Lea grew this defense before leaving for Vanderbilt.
In their place, the Irish are going to have to get people to step up, and Isaiah Foskey is a guy who will be leaned on to do so. Foskey has been a special teams star for the Irish, but in 2021, look for him to grow into a more consistent role on this defense.
Last season, as a backup edge rusher, Foskey showed himself to be arguably the best pass rusher on the team, racking up 4.5 sacks in limited action. As a starter next season, it is possible that Foskey gets closer to the ten sack mark, which would be a huge step up for him, as he continues to be a playmaker on this Irish defense.