Three returning Notre Dame players boast a top-300 On3 College Rating
Much has been made about the returning starters at Notre Dame ahead of the 2022 season, particularly in the front seven, as several NFL Draft-eligible players are back for another year.
On3 has created a number of different data sets, including a collection of 300 players who made the most impact in college football by the conclusion of the 2021 season. Three returning Irish starters made the list, including two of those aforementioned draft-eligible defensemen.
Linebacker JD Bertrand – No. 164
When you led a top-10 football program in tackles over the course of a season, you’re likely to find yourself on a number of lists showcasing the country’s best. Bertrand, who will be a senior this fall, currently has a four-star On3 college rating of 92.00, which is 164th in the country. He is also the country’s No. 27 linebacker according to the metric.
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Coming out of Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic in the 2019 class, Bertrand was a four-star, top-300 prospect according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranked 33rd in both the state of Georgia and at linebacker and 296th nationally.
EDGE Isaiah Foskey – No. 56
The terrifying pass rusher is back for another season with a national championship and first-round-draft dreams in mind. He earned an On3 college rating of 56th overall and sixth EDGE last year. Foskey notched 52 tackles, 11 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries for the Irish in 2021. Only two Irish players in history have had more sacks in a season: Justin Tuck (13.5) and Stephon Tuitt (12).
Out of high school in Northern California, Foskey was the No. 203 recruit in the nation. He was given a four-star rating by the three recruiting services in existence at the time – Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN.
Tight end Michael Mayer – No. 27
On3 believes Mayer was the No. 2 tight end and No. 27 player nationally in 2021, and he has a chance to be even better during his upcoming junior season. The 6-4, 251-pound pass catcher has a five-star On3 college rating of 98.00. As a recruit, Mayer was a high four star ranked No. 1 in Kentucky, No. 3 among tight ends and No. 34 nationally in the 2020 class.
Last season for the Irish, Mayer led the Irish in receptions with 71, totaling 840 yards and seven touchdowns. That touchdown number broke the Notre Dame single-season record for tight ends.
In addition to Bertrand, Foskey and Mayer, departing players safety Kyle Hamilton and running back Kyren Williams made the list, at No. 250 and 160, respectively. Hamilton’s ranking comes despite missing more than half of the 2021 season.
