The list of true freshmen who could contribute to Notre Dame football this season is surprisingly long. Still among the front-runners to not only play but perhaps even compete for a starting job, Joey O'Brien is at the front of the pack. The young safety is doing everything he can to make that happen, including reshaping his body to better compete with college athletes, some of whom have been playing at this level for half a decade.
With spring practice just a couple of weeks away, players are starting to really dial in and get ready. O'Brien recently talked about the weight he's managed to put on his thin frame ahead of his first practice session with the Fighting Irish.
The 5-star Notre Dame signee recently talked to assembled media about his goal of going from his starting weight of 187 pounds to around 200 for the spring. The 6-foot-5 safety said he's already packed on 11 pounds. In other words, he's got just a few more pounds to go.
Joey O'Brien is already putting in the work to compete for a Notre Dame football starting job
"Just eat as much as you can, and then at the end, drink a protein shake," O'Brien told the media about his approach.
Even before arriving in South Bend, O'Brien was impressing onlookers and is a key piece of a secondary recruiting class that more than a few analysts have called the best in the country. His impressive achievements include an early January appearance among the top performers in Rivals.com's Under Armour All-America Week. He was ranked as the No. 6 prospect in that showcase event.
Joey O'Brien was already one of the freshmen to watch as far as competing for a starting spot for Notre Dame in 2026. What he's managed to do before spring practice even starts could give him quite the leg up on his competition on the depth chart.