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 defensive ends Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji?
Daelin Hayes earned significant playing time as a true freshman back in 2016. Over the course of five seasons (one cut short due to injury), Hayes recorded 94 total tackles, nine sacks, four forced fumbles, one interception, and three pass break-ups. His athleticism allowed Notre Dame’s defensive coordinators to drop him into pass coverage on occasion.
Ade Ogundeji played three full seasons for the Irish and was responsible for 81 tackles, 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and a pass break-up. He was relatively new to the game of football when Notre Dame first started recruiting him, and he grew into an NFL draft pick.
Despite losing two multi-year starters in Hayes and Ogundeji, Notre Dame’s defensive line is considered to be one of their strengths heading into the 2021 college football season.
The projected starters following spring practices are junior Isaiah Foskey and fifth-year senior Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, who is making the transition from defensive tackle to defensive end.
Foskey is coming off of a breakout season in 2020 when he had 20 tackles, 4.5 sacks, a pass break-up, and a blocked punt that he subsequently recovered for a touchdown. He is the type of player who can make game-changing plays for a defense.
Tagovailoa-Amosa will be one of the most experienced players in an Irish uniform in 2021. Over the past four seasons, he has recorded 54 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, and a pass break-up.
Behind those two players on the depth chart are sophomore Jordan Botelho and senior Justin Ademilola. Both should be featured heavily in Notre Dame’s defensive line rotation this season.