Notre Dame football linebacker a surprise 3rd round pick in NFL 2024 Draft

There's very little doubt that former Notre Dame football linebacker Marist Liufau can be an impact player in the National Football League. However, there was quite a bit of doubt that the linebacker would go so early in the 2024 NFL Draft.

While the first two Notre Dame football players to get taken went quite close to where the experts predicted, the Dallas Cowboys saw something they must have liked quite a bit in the veteran linebacker. He became the 87th player overrall selected in the draft and the 24th pick of the third round.

Marist Liufau joined first round pick Joe Alt and second round pick Blake Fisher as former Notre Dame football players officially headed to the NFL.

Notre Dame football linebacker a surprise 3rd round pick in NFL 2024 Draft

Earlier in the day, most experts expected the linebacker to be a 4th or 5th round pick, though some did leave the door open that he'd get selected very late in the 3rd round.

He becomes the third Notre Dame football player to come off the board, and in the process seemingly jumped ahead of cornerback Cam Hart, who looks like he's falling a bit on most draft boards.

Part of the reason Hart has fallen as far as he has, is that cornerbacks simply aren't getting selected all that often just yet. While Hart has plenty of talent, he's behind quite a few players as far as possible selections at the position.

Marist Liufau also becomes the first of two Notre Dame football linebackers expected to be taken this weekend. It's likely he'll eventually be joined in the 2024 NFL Draft class by JD Bertrand, who is expected to be a 5th or 6th round pick.

The last three Notre Dame football linebackers drafted could be a sign of success in the NFL for Liufau: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with the Cleveland Browns, Drue Tranquill with the Chargers and Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs and Jaylon Smith (2016) with the Dallas Cowboys were all selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.