Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand will play in Sun Bowl

Graduate linebacker JD Bertrand accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl, but his Fighting Irish career isn’t over quite yet. Notre Dame’s leading tackler three years running will play in the Sun Bowl, which will likely be his final game wearing blue and gold, on Dec. 29 in El Paso, Texas.

Bertrand, a two-time captain, totaled 266 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 7 passes defended in his Notre Dame career. He was also a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy — college football’s premier community service award — and the William V. Campbell Trophy, also known as the Academic Heisman.

The Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic graduate started 34 games with the Irish at the middle (“Mike”) linebacker position. Despite missing a game and a half with a concussion, he finished second on the team with 613 snaps played on defense in 2023. Only Xavier Watts, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner as college football’s national defensive player of the year, played more. Because his communication, leadership and presence were so essential to its defense, Notre Dame couldn’t take Bertrand off the field.

In 2023, Bertrand made 75 tackles (40 solo), compiled 2.5 sacks and defended 4 passes. He also forced a fumble in Notre Dame’s win over Wake Forest, strip-sacking the Demon Deacons’ quarterback and setting up an Irish touchdown on the next play.

Bertrand played alongside fellow graduate linebackers Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser for the past two seasons, forming an experienced trio at the second level. Liufau has already announced his intention to skip the Sun Bowl and enter the NFL Draft, while Kiser will return for a sixth season in South Bend.

In the Sun Bowl, Bertrand will likely start at Mike alongside Kiser, who should fill Liufau’s spot as the starting weakside (Will) linebacker. Kiser has played both this season, but he played more Will than Mike down the stretch with Liufau subbing out more than Bertrand. He started at Mike when Bertrand missed the Central Michigan game Sept. 16 with that concussion, which he suffered a week prior at North Carolina State.

Notre Dame is only expected to be without two defensive starters in El Paso: Liufau and graduate cornerback Cam Hart, who also declared early for the NFL Draft. Watts — undecided about whether to come back to South Bend next season or not — will play. Kiser, graduate defensive tackle Howard Cross III and senior DT Rylie Mills will all return for 2024 and will play as well.