Notre Dame Football: Who replaces each player heading to the NFL?
By Jack Leniart
Notre Dame Football: Who replaces each player heading to the NFL?
Who will replace offensive linemen Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks, Robert Hainsey, and Tommy Kraemer?
The position group with the most to replace is the offensive line. Four starters from last year’s offensive line have departed for the NFL.
Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks, Robert Hainsey, and Tommy Kraemer have combined for 142 starts in their college careers. They were also part of a group that was named a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, which is an annual award that recognizes the best offensive line in college football.
Jeff Quinn and the rest of the Irish coaching staff will be tasked with restructuring the entire offensive line before the start of next season. Fortunately for Notre Dame, that is a position they recruit very well.
Jarret Patterson is the lone starter from last year’s team who is returning. He played center for the Irish last season, but we will likely see him lined up at either guard or tackle in 2021.
With Patterson switching positions, Zeke Correll should start at center for the Irish this fall. He started two games at center last season when Patterson was sidelined due to injury.
Josh Lugg should be the oldest member of the 2021 starting offensive line. The senior started three games last season and saw action in eight others. He has played both guard and tackle in the past, and I would not be surprised to see him play both positions this season.
During spring practices, true freshman Blake Fisher emerged as the favorite to win the starting left tackle job. At 6’ 6’’ and 330 pounds, Fisher certainly has the physical attributed to play college football as a true freshman.
Another true freshman who may crack the starting lineup is Rocco Spindler, who is competing for one of the starting guard spots. His chances of winning a starting job improved when Dillon Gibbons announced he was entering the transfer portal earlier this spring.
Finally, the Irish made a huge splash on Friday, signing All-American transfer Cain Madden from Marshall. He is a guy who is going to start next season, which gives the Irish even more depth up front along the offensive line.