Notre Dame football: 3 defensive players who could breakout in 2022

By Brad Weiss | Jan 21, 2022

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 01: A closeup of a Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cowboys defeated the Fighting Irish 37-35. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /

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PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 09: A Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the game on November 9, 2013, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: 3 defensive players who could breakout in 2022

Jaylen Sneed, Linebacker

There is no doubt that the 2022 recruiting class is going to do some special things in South Bend, as dynamic players are coming in on both sides of the ball. However, the top player coming in via the 2022 class is linebacker Jaylen Sneed, a five-star prospect who should make a mark in his first season on campus.

Sure, the Irish are loaded with veteran talent at linebacker, and they were lucky when Bo Bauer decided to come back for another year. But Sneed is not the kind of true freshman that you can just keep on the sidelines, and throughout the 2022 season, you are going to see why he was one of the best players in the country last season.

Head coach Marcus Freeman is a linebacker guru and even had some NFL opportunities to be a linebacker coach at the next level. The 2022 class has a handful of elite linebackers coming in, but Sneed is on another level, and you have to believe that this coaching staff is going to find a way to get him in the lineup next season.

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