Notre Dame football: 3 best defensive players this century

The Notre Dame football team has a long history of producing dominating defensive players. Here are our top-3 since 2000.

Notre Dame has had a plethora of talent over the years. From Heisman finalist to first-round draft picks. The Irish continue to develop some of the best talents to the NFL. Below I will discuss the three best players the Irish have had since 2000.

Notre Dame football: 3 best defensive players this century

3. Jaylon Smith

The highest defensive recruit Notre Dame has ever landed, Jaylon Smith was a dominating playmaker for the Irish that had a phenomenal career in South Bend. The current Giants linebacker had his draft stock slide after an unfortunate ACL Tear in the 2015 Fiesta Bowl, but his impact during his time with the school is hard to match.

Notre Dame Stats:

• 2013: 58 Tackles, 1 INT, 3 PDs, 1 FF, and 1 FR
• 2014: 111 Tackles, 3.5 Sacks, 2 PD, and FF
• 2015: 115 Tackles, 1 Sack, 5 PD, 1 FF, and 2 FRs

2. Kyle Hamilton

A recruit that went from a 3-star to the No. 1safety in the 2019 class, Hamilton made an impact on day one, returning the first ball thrown to him for a touchdown. Despite dealing with an injury his last season, he is likely going to be a Top-5 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, cementing his legacy as the best safety to ever wear the Blue and Gold.

Notre Dame Stats:

• 2019: 41 Tackles, 4 INTs, 1 TD, 6 PDs
• 2020: 63 Tackles, 1 INT, 7 PDs
• 2021: 34 Tackles, 3 INTs, 4 PDs

1. Manti Te’o

A Heisman finalist who had arguably the best defensive season an ILB has had in CFB history, Manti Te’o was a true game-changer and leader. Leading Notre Dame to a historic undefeated regular season back in 2012, Te’o cemented himself in Notre Dame history.

In my opinion not only is he the best defensive player since 2000, but the best in the history of Notre Dame Football.

Notre Dame Stats:

• 2009: 63 Tackles, 1 Sack, and 1 PD
• 2010: 133 Tackles, 1 Sack, 3 PDs, and 1 FF
• 2011: 128 Tackles, 5 Sacks, 2 PDs, and 1 FF
• 2012: 113 Tackles, 1.5 Sacks, and 7 INTs

These players had historic careers on one of the most historic teams in CFB history, and there have been plenty of other players that deserve to be on this list. However, these guys are the best of the best, and the future continues to shine bright in South Bend, Indiana.