Skip to main content
Notre Dame
Join Now

Notre Dame in the NFL: Cam Hart makes defensive play of the year, seals Chargers win in overtime

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble8 hours agojacksoble56

Former Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart has arrived in the NFL. And he’s here to stay.

A fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft (his play was Day 2-worthy, but age and injury concerns dropped him), Hart grabbed his first career interception on Monday night against the Eagles. And he wasn’t done.

With the Chargers up 22-19 in overtime, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts tested Hart’s side of the field with the second-year cornerback playing flat coverage in Cover 2. Hurts tried to hit wide receiver DeVonta Smith on a corner route, but Hart read it all the way.

The 6-foot-3 corner dove for the football with his right hand and deflected it into the arms of safety Tony Jefferson for a game-ending interception. Hart has 93rd-percentile arms, and he needed every inch of them to seal a massive victory for Los Angeles and make one of the best defensive plays you’ll see this season.

It’s hard to overstate how impressive it is for the flat cornerback in Cover 2 to make this play.

In addition to the pick and the game-sealing deflection, Hart also broke up a would-be touchdown intended for Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Here’s how every other former Notre Dame athlete in the NFL performed in Week 14. There’s a lot to unpack here, including potentially Notre Dame’s first quarterback to start a regular-season NFL game since Ian Book in 2021.

Brandon Aubrey (2017-20), K, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 44-30 loss to Lions

Aubrey made another 60-plus-yard field goal, this time from 63. He also made two more from 50-plus and two more shorter ones to boot. He went 5-of-5 and is beginning to enter “best kicker of all time” discussions.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), G, Green Bay Packers

Result: 28-21 win over Bears

Banks allowed 1 pressure and earned a PFF pass-blocking grade of 81.1.

JD Bertrand (2019-23), LB, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 37-9 loss to Seahawks

Bertrand played 23 snaps on special teams.

Jordan Clark (2024), NB, New York Jets

Result: 34-10 loss to Dolphins

Clark made his defensive NFL debut on Sunday, allowing zero receptions on 2 targets.

Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Chicago Bears

Result: 28-21 loss to Packers

Daly snapped 7 times successfully, 3 on kicks and 4 on punts.

Sheldon Day (2012-15), DT, Washington Commanders

Result: 31-0 loss to Vikings

Day played 19 defensive snaps but was held off the stat sheet.

Audric Estimé (2021-23), RB, New Orleans Saints

Result: 24-20 win over Buccaneers

Estimé carried 3 times — his first rushing attempts of the season — for 9 yards.

Mitchell Evans (2020-24), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: BYE

Blake Fisher (2021-23), OT, Houston Texans

Result: 20-10 win over Chiefs

Fisher played 19 snaps as the Texans’ sixth offensive lineman.

Isaiah Foskey (2019-22), DE, Cincinnati Bengals

Result: 39-34 loss to Bills

Foskey played 13 snaps on special teams.

Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 27-22 loss to Steelers

Gilman made 7 tackles.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 36-19 loss to Jaguars

Grupe made his Colts debut Sunday, and he made both his field-goal attempts with a long of 36.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), C, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: 36-19 win over Colts

Hainsey earned a 72.9 PFF run-blocking grade.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 27-22 loss to Steelers

Hamilton made 3 tackles.

Thomas Harper (2023), S, Detroit Lions

Result: 44-30 win over Cowboys

Harper played just 2 snaps before leaving Thursday’s game with a concussion. He returned to practice Wednesday, though.

JJ Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: BYE

Jack Kiser (2019-24), LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: 36-19 win over Colts

Kiser made 3 tackles in 13 defensive snaps.

Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 28-21 loss to Packers

Kmet made 2 catches for 42 yards. Because Blue & Gold missed Notre Dame in the NFL last week, we should also shout out his game-sealing touchdown reception on Black Friday in Philadelphia.

Riley Leonard (2024), QB, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 36-19 loss to Jaguars

After Colts starter Daniel Jones tore his Achilles, Leonard played his first extended action at the NFL level. He completed 18 of his 29 pass attempts for 145 yards and an interception. He also rushed twice for 5 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown.

Leonard could make his first NFL start on Sunday at Seattle, but the Colts also brought 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement. Many expect Rivers — whom Leonard, ironically, is close with and has frequently trained with — to start against the Seahawks, but it’s to be determined.

Marist Liufau (2019-23), LB, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 44-30 loss to Lions

Liufau played 9 defensive snaps and notched 2 quarterback hurries.

Julian Love (2015-18), S, Seattle Seahawks

Result: 37-9 win over Falcons

In his return from injured reserve, Love made 1 tackle and defended a pass.

Michael Mayer (2020-22), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: 24-17 loss to Broncos

Mayer caught a pass for 14 yards.

Nick McCloud (2020), CB, Chicago Bears

Result: 28-21 loss to Packers

McCloud played 25 snaps off the bench, allowing 1 reception for 21 yards on 3 targets.

Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OT, Denver Broncos

Result: 24-17 win over Raiders

McGlinchey allowed a sack, but he earned an 80.6 PFF run-blocking grade.

Benjamin Morrison (2022-24), CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: 24-20 loss to Saints

The injury bug bit Morrison again, this time with his hamstring. He is likely to return for Week 15, though.

Quenton Nelson (2014-17), G, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 36-19 loss to Jaguars

Nelson earned an 84.3 PFF offense grade, including an 84.7 mark as a run blocker. Going by PFF grade, this has been Nelson’s best season since 2020.

Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), C, Houston Texans

Result: 20-10 win over Chiefs

Patterson played 4 snaps on special teams.

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: 27-22 win over Ravens

Skowronek caught a pass for 13 yards.

Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 31-0 win over Commanders

Smith made 4 tackles and brought in his first interception of the season. It’s his 38th career INT, which leads all active NFL players.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 28-21 loss to Packers

Smythe caught a pass for 2 yards.

Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 27-22 loss to Steelers

Stanley allowed 1 pressure and earned an 82.7 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 20-10 loss to Texans

Tillery sacked Texans quarterback CJ Stroud.

Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 20-10 loss to Texans

Tranquill made a season-high 10 tackles, including 5 defensive stops (tackles that result in a failure for the offense) a tackle for loss.

Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: BYE

Xavier Watts (2020-24), S, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 37-9 loss to Seahawks

Watts made 4 tackles.

Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams

Result: 45-17 win over Cardinals

Williams rushed 13 times for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

Former Notre Dame players on injured reserve