By the numbers: Notre Dame and the NFL Draft

On3 imageby:Ashton Pollard04/28/22

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It’s officially time for the 2022 NFL Draft, which begins at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network. Notre Dame has one player present in Las Vegas, five players likely to be drafted and 10 NFL Draft hopefuls.

Before the numbers start to change as prospects come off the board, here are a few to shine a little light on Notre Dame’s history with the NFL Draft.

1: Kyle Hamilton is set to become the first Irish first-round draft selection this decade, with the last former Irish player chosen being defensive lineman Jerry Tillery in 2019. He was selected No. 28 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers and remains with the team.

3: Now-head coach Marcus Freeman is in Las Vegas on Thursday to support Hamilton at the draft. But he has two other defensemen for whom he will be watching both tonight and as the weekend goes on. Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and Notre Dame defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa have both been coached by Freeman as well. Gardner is a likely first round selection, while Tagovailoa-Amosa would go on Saturday if he hears his name called.

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7: Notre Dame, aptly named “Tight End U” by some, has had seven tight ends taken in the last 10 NFL Drafts. They will not have a selection this season, but junior Michael Mayer is an expected first-round pick in 2023. 

12: The NFC North has 12 Notre Dame players spread across its four teams, including seven with the Detroit Lions, the most of any division in the NFL. In the No. 2 spot with nine players each are the AFC North and the NFC South. The AFC North has drafted the most Notre Dame players of the active ones in the NFL right now with nine. 

14: There are 14 former Notre Dame players currently signed to NFL rosters who went undrafted. A few notable players include Romeo Okwara (Detroit Lions), Josh Adams (New Orleans Saints) and Sam Mustipher (Chicago Bears).

15: A total of 15 Notre Dame offensive linemen have been taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. Both Ronnie Stanley and Quenton Nelson are two of the most recent ones, and they took two of the five spots on the NFL’s All-Pro offensive line in 2019. Second-rounder Nick Martin had a third. The first first-round offensive lineman taken in program history was Art Hunter in 1954.

44: Notre Dame had 44 players drafted over a three-year period from 1944-46, more than any other school in a three-year time span by a wide margin. No other program has had more than 32 in three years. Those classes included quarterbacks Angelo Bertelli and Johnny Lujack

60: Since the beginning of the draft in 1936, the Irish have had draft classes of at least five players 60 times. The largest class was 16, which occurred in 1946.

61: While he is unlikely to be drafted, defensive lineman Kurt Hinish is eligible after playing in 61 games over a five-year career in South Bend. That is a school record which was previously held by fellow defensive lineman Daelin Hayes (54).

69: The Irish have had 69 first-round picks in program history, which is fourth all-time. No. 1 is Ohio State, who has had 85.

520: Notre Dame is responsible for sending 520 players to the NFL, the most of any college football program in history. How many will they add this weekend?

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