Newsstand: Two former Notre Dame football players ranked among NFL’s best at their position
According to NFL executives, coaches and scouts, two former Notre Dame offensive linemen have been named among the best at their profession. Per a poll of those football minds conducted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Dallas Cowboys veteran blocker Zack Martin and Indianapolis Colts bruiser Quenton Nelson are the NFL’s No. 1 and No. 3 interior offensive linemen.
Here’s how Martin and Nelson received ended up at their respective positions:
Voters give us their best 10 players at a position, then we compile the results and rank candidates based on the number of top-10 votes, composite average, along with dozens of interviews, research and film-study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, more than 80 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions.
After he slotted No. 2 in last year’s poll, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Martin claimed the top spot going into the 2023 season.
“He’s maybe declined physically a little bit due to age, but he’s so smart and so instinctive that he makes up for any physical shortcoming,” a high-ranking NFL executive said.
Martin enters his 10th NFL season in 2023. In the front nine, he has been named to the Pro Bowl every season besides 2020. Martin, a product of Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, played for the Fighting Irish from 2009-13. The Cowboys selected him at No. 16 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Four years later, the Colts drafted the 6-5, 330-pound Nelson at No. 6 overall. The Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic standout has made the Pro Bowl in his five NFL seasons. He spent 2014-17 with the Fighting Irish. His final Notre Dame campaign sparked a unanimous All-American selection.
In Fowler’s poll last year, Nelson was the NFL’s No. 1 interior offensive lineman. Although he’s earned Pro Bowl recognition in every NFL season, he did not receive a spot on either Associated Press All-Pro team in 2022.
“He must have been more hurt than he let on because I refuse to believe he suddenly became a bad player,” one veteran NFL offensive lineman said. “There was a lot going on with that team last year, a lot of issues around him.”
Notre Dame was the only school with two offensive linemen within the top 10 of the survey.
Notre Dame Tweets of the Weekend
Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, offensive linemen Joe Alt and Blake Fisher had a little fun in New York.
On Saturday, former Irish guard Jewell Loyd picked up the WNBA All-Star Game MVP.
Irish 2025 defensive line verbal commit Davion Dixon visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame over the weekend.
Notre Dame Quote of the Weekend
“When you talk about a guy having part of his rib removed, having his mother, who’s just as fierce as he is, create a necklace, it’s almost like a scar for him.”
— Freeman on quarterback Sam Hartman.
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