The Notre Dame football team has some incredible players returning in 2022, but these three new faces could make a major impact this season.
The 2022 Notre Dame football team is getting closer and closer to kicking off their season, a year that will begin with a major matchup against Ohio State. That should be a top-5 battle between two national powerhouses, a game that will have some serious College Football Playoff implications.
Here, we look at three new faces for the Irish that will have to make a major impact if they hope to make the CFP in 2022.
Notre Dame football: 3 new faces that will make a major impact in 2022
Chris Smith, NT
A graduate transfer from Harvard, Chris Smith has been better than expected for the Irish and should play a huge role along the defensive line in 2022. Defensive line coach Al Washington recently told the press that he is a ‘block of granite,’ which is incredible praise for a player who is coming off dominating in the Ivy League.
Smith was named First-Team All-Ivy League this past season and could beat out Jacob Lacey for the starting nose tackle job. The Notre Dame football team should have an excellent pass rush this upcoming season, and a talent like Smith in the middle will go a long way in letting the defensive ends do their thing on the outside.
Notre Dame football: 3 new faces that will make a major impact in 2022
Tobias Merriweather, WR
One of the key issues with the Notre Dame football team on the offensive side of the ball coming into the summer was the depth at wide receiver. Last season, Kevin Austin Jr. was the key wideout for the Irish, but with him going to the NFL, and not many new recruits coming in, the numbers just were not there.
However, while the Irish only brought in one wideout in the 2022 recruiting class, that one player is making a big impact this summer and should contribute in a big way this season. Tobias Merriweather has been turning heads since stepping on campus, and there is good reason to think he could crack the starting lineup at some point during his true freshman season.
We saw Tommy Rees turn to a true freshman at wideout last season, with Lorenzo Styles Jr. making big waves in Year 1, and Merriweather could do the same. He is big, fast, and strong, and based on what we have seen in practice, looks ready to take on defenses at the next level.
Notre Dame football: 3 new faces that will make a major impact in 2022
Brandon Joseph, S
Recently, we discussed the impact that true freshman Jaden Mickey could make in the Irish defensive backfield in 2022, but the biggest new face is Brandon Joseph. The key loss to the Notre Dame football team on defense was Kyle Hamilton, a dynamic safety who was a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens this past April.
To make up for that loss, the Irish dipped into the transfer portal and just happened to pull out an All-American safety in Joseph. Coming from the Big Ten, where he played in some huge matchups with Northwestern, Joseph should be able to step right in and dominate in South Bend, and we have seen his leadership skills already during this offseason.
Notre Dame football: What happens if the Irish upset Ohio State?
The Notre Dame football team takes on Ohio State in Week 1 of the college football season, but what happens if the Irish upset the Buckeyes?
Notre Dame football opens their schedule against Ohio State, and also has to take on Clemson and USC during the regular season, two teams that should be elite in 2022 as well. They are going to need multiple players to step up in a big way if they hope to make the Playoff, and before all is said and done, these three should make a major impact in their first season with the Irish.