Where The Athletic ranks Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman as an NFL Draft prospect

Sam Hartman is the No. 11 senior quarterback in the projected 2024 NFL Draft field, according to The Athletic NFL Draft writer Dane Brugler.

Brugler dropped his NFL Draft 2024 summer scouting report, quarterback edition, on Monday.

The report did not include a full ranking of draft-eligible quarterbacks, instead leading with the top six and splitting the full list into seniors and underclassmen. Logic dictates, because five of the top six were underclassmen, that Brugler has Hartman no higher than the No. 16 quarterback in the 2024 draft.

In recent history, No. 16 puts Hartman just outside the range of drafted quarterbacks, according to Brugler. Since 2017, anywhere from nine to 14 signal-callers have been selected, with the highest number occuring in 2023.

While Brugler only included analysis of the top six (in order: USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Duke’s Riley Leonard, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Oregon’s Bo Nix), he has been complimentary of Hartman on Twitter in the past.

“[Wake Forest] QB Sam Hartman has the attention of NFL scouts,” Brugler tweeted on Sept. 24, during Hartman’s six-touchdown, zero-interception performance in a 51-45 overtime loss to Clemson. “Putting some impressive plays/throws on his resume tape today.”

When Hartman announced his decision to transfer to Notre Dame in January, Brugler offered his thoughts as well.

“Understandable move for Hartman,” Brugler tweeted. “Was a projected late-rounder by NFL teams. Aside from NIL [money], a final season [with] the Irish should help his NFL evaluation. Scouts want to see him outside of the [Wake Forest] offense.”

By “the Wake Forest offense,” Brugler means the slow-mesh RPO system. In it, the quarterback often holds the ball in the running back’s arms — also known as the “mesh point” — and walks toward the line of scrimmage before making a decision. It is a quarterback-friendly and decidedly not pro-style system.

Though Notre Dame flashed elements of the slow mesh in the Blue-Gold game, Hartman will be running an offense much more similar to what he would run in the NFL.

Among seniors, Brugler ranked Hartman just behind South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Kentucky’s Devin Leary and Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson. Hartman placed just ahead of BYU’s Kedon Slovis, UTEP’s Gavin Hardison and Washington State’s Cameron Ward.

Quarterbacks on Brugler’s list who face Notre Dame this season include Williams, Leonard, Ohio State’s Kyle McCord (No. 10 underclassman), Pittsburgh’s Phil Jurkovec (No. 19 senior) and NC State’s Brennan Armstrong (No. 24 senior).