Blue & Gold TV: What to expect with a Harry Hiestand-coached Notre Dame O-line

On3 imageby:Mike Singer01/19/22

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BlueandGold.com‘s Mike Singer chats with football analyst Tim Hyde about Notre Dame football’s recent hires and what to expect in the run game moving forward for the Fighting Irish.

Hyde also discussed a couple of coaches who were not expected to depart from Notre Dame, including longtime assistant Mike Elston, who bolted to Michigan this past week.

“In reading in between the lines, he got passed over for defensive coordinator, and that’s basically what it is,” Hyde said in the video. “He’s been coaching for a long time, and he’s going back to his alma mater. A tip of the hat to him — he’s done a great job at Notre Dame. He did get passed over a handful of times, and that might say more about whether he can be a defensive coordinator or not, but he did one heck of a job at Notre Dame.”

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The entry deadline has passed. Mock drafts are trickling out with more frequency. The Senior Bowl is less than three weeks away.

What’s all that mean? NFL Draft season is nigh. Notre Dame’s 2022 class likely won’t yield as many selections as last year’s nine, but it has a prospect as talented as any to come out the program this century. How does the rest of it shape up? Here’s a look at every Irish player who bypassed a remaining college season(s) to declare or is out of eligibility. Projections are made using ESPN analyst Todd McShay’s top 300 rankings.

Notre Dame Safety Kyle Hamilton (projected top-10 pick)

The former Notre Dame star is appearing in the top 10 of most mock drafts and might be the first defensive back taken. He’s the clear top safety in the draft. The knee injury that wiped out his season hasn’t affected that status at all. In six-plus games, Hamilton made 35 tackles (2.0 for loss), grabbed three interceptions and broke up six passes. He looked like a future pro as a freshman. He leaves as a player with All-Pro potential.

Running back Kyren Williams (projected Day 2 pick)

Williams was the first Notre Dame running back to rush for 1,000-yards since Darius Walker in 2005-06. He brings much more than his elusive and tough running style, though. He had 77 catches over the last two seasons and willingly takes on pass rushers who are 50 pounds heavier than him. He was also Notre Dame’s punt returner in 2021.

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