The Notre Dame football team has some young weapons on offense in 2022, and here are a few to keep an eye on this upcoming season.
The Notre Dame football team will have to replace some key offensive weapons this upcoming season, including starting quarterback Jack Coan, star running back Kyren Williams, and No. 1 wide receiver, Kevin Austin Jr. Still, there is a lot of talent coming back, especially young talent, so this team should be explosive on that side of the ball.
Here, we look at four young offensive weapons to keep an eye on this season.
Notre Dame football: Young offensive weapons to watch in 2022
Tobias Merriweather, Wide Receiver
One of the key prospects coming in via the 2022 recruiting class on the offensive side of the ball is Tobias Merriweather. The long, speedy wideout is a four-star recruit, and after losing a few early commits when signing day came around, his landing in South Bend is key for the depth and production of this position group.
Merriweather is going to be a special player for the Irish, and it will be interesting to see if Tommy Rees works him into the offense as he did with Lorenzo Styles Jr. this past season. There is not a ton of depth at the wideout spot, so playing time should be available for this elite prospect in Year 1.
Notre Dame football: Young offensive weapons to watch in 2022
Tyler Buchner, Quarterback
This past season, Jack Coan came to South Bend as a graduate transfer, and down the stretch, he became one of the better quarterbacks in the country. In fact, he capped off his only season with the Irish by throwing for over 500 yards and five touchdowns in the loss to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Coan’s backup for most of the season was true freshman Tyler Buchner, who showcased the ability to not only get the job done with his arm but also his legs. He could be a dynamic playmaker for this team in 2022 and beyond, but he is going to be pushed for the starting job this spring.
If Buchner does earn the starting job, you can expect a big season from him, as he also displayed incredible toughness in Year 1. The Irish had a playmaker that could get the job done with his arm and his legs in Ian Book for years, and Buchner could be cut from the same mold across the next few seasons.
Notre Dame football: Young offensive weapons to watch in 2022
Logan Diggs, Running Back
The Irish saw plenty of big names decide to return to South Bend for another go-around this offseason, including players who many believed would be Day 2 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. That says a lot about this culture, and the players wanting to play for head coach Marcus Freeman, but one player who decided to leave was Kyren Williams, the team’s star running back.
This past season, when Williams needed some rest or the Irish wanted to go with another look, it was true freshman Logan Diggs who got the call. In his first season with the Irish, Diggs proved that he is a player who can not only tote the rock but be active in the passing game, making him the front-runner to be the team’s feature back in 2022.
The Irish are loaded at the running back position, so it won’t only have to be Diggs shouldering the load this upcoming season. However, if need be, Diggs has the strength and speed to have the same kind of impact on this offense that Williams did in his first season as the starting running back in 2020.
Notre Dame football: Young offensive weapons to watch in 2022
Lorenzo Styles Jr., Wide Receiver
As we stated earlier, the Notre Dame football team does not have a top of depth at the wide receiver group in terms of bodies, but they are not lacking depth in terms of talent. In fact, the Irish have two veterans coming back who could have been NFL Draft picks in Avery Davis and Braden Lenzy, as well as young stars like Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Merriweather on the depth chart as well.
While Merriweather will be trying to make an impact in Year 1, Styles already accomplished that this past season, and I believe he could be the breakout star on this offense in 2022. He is explosive, catches everything, and plays with a chip on his shoulder, qualities that could make him a first-round pick in a few years.
Notre Dame football: Take a look at the 2022 Irish schedule
Notre Dame football has released its 2022 schedule in its entirety. It won't be an easy season, but it does offer Marcus Freeman opportunities to thrive.
This offense has a real chance to be explosive this upcoming season, and you can believe that Rees is going to utilize all of his weapons to their highest abilities. If the Irish can be as strong on offense as their defense is likely to be, they should be one of the final four teams standing this season when all is said and done.