49 Days: 49 Players Who Will Impact 2018

We’re just 49 days away from Notre Dame hosting Michigan on September 1st. Summer conditioning is in full swing, and all we’ve heard is the team is running and running and running. 

Director of Football Performance Matt Balis has come up with unique training methods this summer that we’ve told you about such as running every stair in Notre Dame Stadium and taking the team off campus to a South Bend park to a run a hill. 

Will that work pay off on September 1st? We’ll see but in honor of 49 days until kickoff, here are 49 players that will impact the 2018 season. 

1. QB Brandon Wimbush 

- He’s the quarterback. 

2. QB Ian Book 

- Whether he plays or not, Book will push Wimbush to be a better player. 

3. RB Tony Jones Jr. 

- The junior running back has waited for his time and his time is now. 

4. RB Dexter Williams 

- Notre Dame will need explosive plays and Williams will be counted on to make those happen. 

5. QB Avery Davis 
    - He’s going to be on the field in some capacity, and the ball is going to go to him. 

6. WR Michael Young     
    - The sophomore receiver brings speed, and Notre Dame has done well with speed at receiver. 

7. WR Chase Claypool 
    - The junior has the talent and traits to be one of the nation’s most feared receivers. 

8. WR Miles Boykin 
    - Experience and confidence are what Boykin needed, and he has those heading into 2018. 

9. TE Alizè Mack 
    - It’s now or never, and Mack made significant strides in the spring. 

10. TE Cole Kmet 
    - The sophomore got a taste last year and will be a big red zone target this fall. 

11. LT Liam Eichenberg
    - Few positions more important than left tackle and Eichenberg has a chance to be great. 

12. LG Alex Bars 
    - Bars took a few steps forward this spring, and he knows this is his money year. 

13. C Sam Mustipher 
    - Mustipher has always been consistent, but this year he has a chance to be dominant. 

14. RG Tommy Kraemer 
    - Notre Dame needs nasty and Kraemer brings nasty. 

15. RT Robert Hainsey 
    - True freshman don’t play much on the offensive line, and Hainsey got reps from day one last year. 

16. OL Aaron Banks 
    - The sophomore redshirted a year ago, but he could end up being Notre Dame’s sixth offensive lineman. 

17. OL Josh Lugg 
    - He will compete with Banks for reps, but many around the program feel he’s ready for Saturdays. 

18. DE Daelin Hayes 
    - Notre Dame needs a pass rush, and Hayes will look to improve on a solid sophomore year. 

19. DE Khalid Kareem 
    - He could very well end up being Notre Dame’s most productive defensive lineman by the end of the year. 

20. DT Jerry Tillery
    - The move to 3-Tech will allow him to make more plays. 

21. DT Jon Bonner 
    - He’s going to clog up the middle and allow playmakers to make plays. 

22. DE Julian Okwara 
    - He will have a chance to lead Notre Dame in sacks this fall. 

23. DE Ade Ogundeji 
    - He’s on my shortlist for breakout player of the year on defense.  

24. DT Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa 
    - As a freshman, Tagovailoa-Amosa battled, but now he has experience. 

25. DT Kurt Hinish
    - Hinish has made significant strides physically, and he will always bring chaos inside. 

26. DT Micah Dew-Treadway 
    - He’s been healthy for over a year, and it’s time to put it together. 

27. LB Drue Tranquill 
    - Tranquill will be the heart and soul of the Irish defense in 2018. 

28. LB Te’von Coney 
    - If he improves as much as he did last year, Coney will be an All-American. 

29. LB Asmar Bilal 
    - It took a little longer than expected but we saw an aggressive player in the spring. 

30. LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah 
    - There will always be a role for a player with his speed and athleticism. 

31. LB Jordan Genmark Heath 
    - He will have to be patient, but much like Owusu-Koramoah, Genmark Heath can make a difference on special teams and spell Tranquill. 

32. LB Jonathan Jones 
    - Coney can’t play every snap, and Jones has shown he is more than capable of playing at a high level. 

33. CB Julian Love 
    - Love has the hype after he was named an All-American as a sophomore. 

34. CB Troy Pride Jr. 
    - Pride has the chance to become an elite cornerback, and Nick Watkins departure accelerated his development. 

35. CB Shaun Crawford 
    - The Golden Mongoose has a knack for finding the ball and taking the ball. 

36. CB Donte Vaughn 
    - Notre Dame will need Vaughn to guard some of the taller receivers they will face. 

37. S Nick Coleman 
    - Whether it’s at free safety or nickel, Coleman will be on the field. 

38. S Alohi Gilman 
    - Alohi is free. 

39. S Jalen Elliott 
    - Elliott might have made the biggest strides this spring of anyone in the secondary. 

40. S Houston Griffith 
    - He’ll be on the field, and he’s going to make plays. 

41. P Tyler Newsome 
    - Punters don’t get named captain, and Newsome is a captain. 

42. K Justin Yoon 
    - I expect to see a big leg as Yoon is fully healthy this year. 

43. LS John Shannon 
    - You won’t notice him, and you shouldn’t notice him. 

44. WR Kevin Austin Jr. 
    - It’s going to be hard to keep him off the field. 

45. TE Brock Wright 
    - He might not have the receptions of Kmet and Mack, but his blocking will be just as important. 

46. LB Bo Bauer 
    - His work ethic is second to none, and early reviews are nothing but positives. 

47. WR Chris Finke 
    - Finke showed if there is execution on punt return, he can get loose. I’d expect a few more receptions this year too. 

48. S Derrik Allen 
    - We will see if he can break into the rotation, but he has a chance to be a special player on special teams in year one. 

49. WR Braden Lenzy 
    - He will have a chance to return kicks and if he does, watch out.