Draft Scout Notre Dame Player News, College Football: Notre Dame

2024 CFB/2025-2028 NFL Draft Scout

- Draft Scout Front Page - 2025 NFL Draft Tracker/Results - 2025 NFL Combine - College Football Transfers - 2026-2029 - End of 2024 Season Risers - End of 2024 Season Fallers - 2025 NFL Draft Underclassmen - 2025 Senior Bowl - 2025 East-West Shrine - 2025 Hula Bowl - 2025 Tropical Bowl - 2025 HBCU Legacy Bowl Draft Scout Top 12 NFL Prospect Teams for 2025 (Based on NFL Team Preseason Scouting Grades)

- #1 Oregon (17 players in Top 350 Overall) - #2 Michigan (14) - #3 Ohio State (14) - #4 Georgia (13) - #5 Texas (11) - #6 Notre Dame (11) - #7 Penn State (10) - #8 Iowa (10) - #9 Mississippi (9) - #10 Florida State (9) - #11 Virginia Tech (9) - #12 Miami (9) - 2024-2028 CFB 5* Star Recruits - 2024-2028 FBS/FCS Team Lists/Rosters - CFB's Best Player Names By Year/Position - Draft Scout Player Directory A-Z - Players by School/College List A-Z - CFB Player News & Notes - Draft Scout Rokfin Football Channel - Draft Scout Weekly - Contact Draft Scout - Privacy Policy - Phil Steele/Draft Scout Player Rankings by Conference: -ACC- | -American Athletic- | -Big 12- | -Big Ten- | -Conference USA- | -Independent- | -Mid-American- | -Mountain West- | -Pac-12- | -SEC- | -Sun Belt-

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

- Draft Scout Front Page - 2024 NFL Draft Tracker/Results - 2024 Pro Timing Days/Results - 2024 Pro Timing Day Risers by Position - 2024 Pro Timing Day Fallers by Position - 2024 NFL Combine - Josh Buchanan's 2024 Top 100 Small School Prospects - End of Season Risers - End of Season Fallers - 2024 NFL Draft Underclassmen - 2024 Senior Bowl - 2024 East-West Shrine - 2024 Hula Bowl - 2024 HBCU Legacy Bowl - 2023 CFB Bowl Games/Playoffs - CFB Player News & Notes 12/03 Final CFB Playoff Top 12
- #1 Michigan - #2 Washington - #3 Texas - #4 Alabama - #5 Florida State - #6 Georgia - #7 Ohio State - #8 Oregon - #9 Missouri - #10 Penn State - #11 Mississippi - #12 Oklahoma - 2023-2027 FBS/FCS Team Lists/Rosters - CFB's Best Player Names By Year/Position - Draft Scout Player Directory A-Z - Players by School/College List A-Z - Draft Scout Rokfin Football Channel - Draft Scout Weekly - Phil Steele/Draft Scout - Contact Draft Scout Player Rankings by Conference: -ACC- | -American Athletic- | -Big 12- | -Big Ten- | -Conference USA- | -Independent- | -Mid-American- | -Mountain West- | -Pac-12- | -SEC- | -Sun Belt-

NFL Draft Scout History

- 1997 Coach Bill Walsh Draft Insider (First/Early NFL Draft Scout) - 2023 NFL Draft Tracker/Results - 2023 Undrafted by Position - 2023 Pro Timing Days/Results - 2023 Pro Timing Day Risers by Position - Draft Scout Evolve: Player Rating Changes - 2023 NFL Combine - Draft Scout CFB Risers - Draft Scout CFB Fallers - 2023 NFL Draft Underclassmen - 2023-26 #1 Georgia Bulldogs - 2023-26 #3 TCU Horned Frogs - 2022-23 CFB Bowl Schedule - EA College Football Game Pushed Back to 2024 - CFB Schedule/Roster/News Links - CFB Player Injury News & Notes - CFB Injuries by Year/Position

2022 Draft Scout

- 2022 NFL Draft Tracker - 2022 Pro Timing Days/Results - 2022 Pro Timing Day Risers by Position - 2022 NFL Combine/Results - 2022 NFL Combine Risers by Position - 2022 NFL Draft Underclassmen - 2021 Draft Scout Top 100

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Draft Scout College Football Player News: Notre Dame

Previous 15 Notes

Next 15 Notes

12/22/22 - Sam Hartman, rSr/2024, Notre Dame + More +

The record-setting passer could very well be playing his final game for Wake Forest. He hasn't entered the NCAA transfer portal or announced plans to enter the NFL draft, but there's been so much chatter about Hartman moving on, Clawson has addressed the possibility that Hartman is making his final appearance Friday. "Whatever decisions Sam makes, we support him," Clawson said earlier this month. "When the bowl game is over, if there's some incredible offer for him to go to another school and get life-changing money, how can we fault him for that?" The senior comes into Friday's game with 107 career passing touchdowns, tied for the most in ACC history with former Clemson QB Tajh Boyd. Consider the legends behind him on that list: Phillip Rivers, Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson, Chris Weinke, Russell Wilson. This season, Hartman's thrown for 35 touchdowns and 3,421 yards in 11 games with a passer rating of 160.2, best in the ACC and seventh among all Power Five quarterbacks. - Post-Dispatch

rSr/2024

QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
News Source: Post-Dispatch
Share/Comment: Here

12/19/22 - Matt Salerno, rSr/2024, Notre Dame + More +

Matt Salerno's 1-yard reception for his first career touchdown was one of the feel-good moments of Notre Dame's Senior Day thrashing of Boston College. Four weeks after that long-awaited end zone visit, the former walk-on wide receiver/punt returner has decided maybe it shouldn't be his last. The Valencia, Calif., product announced via social media on Friday evening that he would "run it back" for a sixth season with the Irish. A COVID-year waiver for those who played in 2020 made that possible.

All-America long snapper Michael Vinson recently announced he would return as a sixth-year super senior in 2023 as well. Reserve kicker Chris Salerno, Matt's brother, is a sophomore walk-on for the Irish. The elder Salerno, who has five catches for 62 yards this season, produced half of that yardage with an acrobatic grab as he fell backward in the season-opening loss at Ohio State. "Matt is a guy that we have a ton of trust in," offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said on Nov. 22. "He's in there in critical moments. He's in there with roles that are critically important. He's tagged on stuff to make sure he's in. He's done a lot of the dirty work for us and been in critical spots and he's worked extremely hard to deserve the opportunity to be out there playing." - South Bend Tribune

rSr/2024

WR Matt Salerno, Notre Dame
News Source: South Bend Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

12/12/22 - Michael Vinson, rSr/2024, Notre Dame + More +

Long snapper Michael "Milk" Vinson's decision to return for a sixth season came as an early Christmas present for special-teams coordinator Brian Mason. Prior conversations, most recently during the bye week in early October, indicated Vinson would leave after a three-year run as the starter. Instead, the Irish will milk another season out of a popular team leader and Patrick Mannelly Award semifinalist as one of the nation's top long snappers. "When it came time for the end of the year, (Vinson) decided, 'You know what, I love Notre Dame. I'm going to stay,' "Mason said. "There were a couple things he still wanted to get done. He's clearly the leader of our group. He's in the office a ton. He watches a lot of film. You just can't easily replace somebody like that." With kicker Blake Grupe and punter Jon Sot moving on after successful grad-transfer seasons, Vinson's return should ease the transition for the next set of specialists. Freshman Bryce McFerson is set to assume punting duties, Mason said, and the Irish reportedly could add South Florida kicker Spencer Shrader as a graduate transfer. - South Bend Tribune

rSr/2024

LS Michael Vinson, Notre Dame
News Source: South Bend Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

12/09/22 - *Michael Mayer, Jr/2023, Notre Dame + More +

2022 WALTER CAMP FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame,...Mayer led all FBS tight ends in touchdown receptions in 2022 while posting a team-high 67 receptions for 809 yards. The Independence, Kentucky, native finished his career at Notre Dame as the greatest statistical tight end in school history, setting program tight end marks for receptions (180), yards (2,099) and touchdown receptions (18) while also owning the single-season tight end records for receptions (71 in 2021), yards (840 in 2021) and touchdowns (9 in 2022). Among Mayer's noteworthy games in 2022 was an 11-catch, 118-yard, two-touchdown performance against No. 16/16 BYU in Las Vegas, a game in which he established a tight end record for receptions in a game.

He piled up six catches for 115 yards and a touchdown against UNLV, seven catches for 88 yards and a score at North Carolina, four catches for 44 yards and a touchdown against No. 5/5 Clemson and eight catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns at No. 5/5 Southern Cal. Mayer, who has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, led all active FBS tight ends in receptions (180) and yards (2,099). He also finished his career third on Notre Dame's all-time receptions list while becoming the 13th Irish player to amass 2,000 receiving yards in a career. Mayer ended his time at Notre Dame on a 36-game streak of games with at least one reception which represented every game he suited up in the blue and gold. - Notre Dame Football

Jr/2023

TE *Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
News Source: Notre Dame Football
Share/Comment: Here

12/09/22 - *Isaiah Foskey, rJr/2023, Notre Dame + More +

Record-setting tight end Michael Mayer has played his last game for Notre Dame. As widely expected, Mayer announced Wednesday he will skip the Dec. 30 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against No. 19 South Carolina as he begins preparations for the 2023 NFL Draft. The projected first-rounder plans to start ramping up those workouts on Jan. 2 in California. A draft-eligible junior and fiery team captain, Mayer had eight catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns (24 and 22 yards) in a Nov. 26 loss at USC. That pushed his career totals to 180 receptions for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns, all of which represent the most in program history by a tight end.

Mayer had at least one catch in all 36 games he played in his Notre Dame career. The Irish went 28-8 with Mayer in the lineup as he sat out just once (Virginia Tech in October 2021) due to a strained hip adductor muscle. Despite facing near-constant double coverage this fall, the Mackey Award finalist hauled in 67 passes from 809 yards and nine touchdowns - all single-season records for an Irish tight end. He converted 66.3 percent of his 101 targets as a junior, dropping just four passes while working with inexperienced quarterbacks Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne. "The first reason I picked Notre Dame was the NFL," Mayer told ESPN ahead of Thursday's College Football Awards show. "It was on my mind a very, very long time. I saw a lot of good tight ends in the NFL from Notre Dame. That was one of the main reasons I went there." - South Bend Tribune

rJr/2023

DE *Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
News Source: South Bend Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

12/09/22 - *Isaiah Foskey, rJr/2023, Notre Dame + More +

2022 WALTER CAMP FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: DL Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame,...Foskey piled up 11 sacks for the second consecutive season from his defensive end position and broke the Notre Dame career sack record in 2022. The Antioch, California, has posted 26.5 sacks in his career, besting the school record that stood since 2004. His 11 sacks tied for fourth in FBS this year and he led the Irish with 14 tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries. One of the most consistent defenders on the team, Foskey logged at least three tackles in 10 of Notre Dame's 12 games this season including five at North Carolina (with 1.5 sacks and two hurries) and another five at No. 5/5 Southern Cal with 1.5 sacks. - Notre Dame Football

rJr/2023

DE *Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
News Source: Notre Dame Football
Share/Comment: Here

12/09/22 - Joe Alt, Jr/2024, Notre Dame + More +

2022 WALTER CAMP SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: OL Joe Alt, Notre Dame,...Alt has quickly developed into one of the top left tackles in the nation after assuming the position in Notre Dame's lineup midway through the 2021 season. He anchored an Irish line this season that opened the way for six 200-yard rushing performances, including over 250 yards against No. 5/5 Clemson. The North Oaks, Minnesota, native is the top-ranked run block offensive tackle in the country according to Pro Football Focus and the second-ranked overall tackle in FBS. Of his 370 pass block sets this season, Alt allowed just five pressures and zero sacks. - Notre Dame Football

Jr/2024

OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
News Source: Notre Dame Football
Share/Comment: Here

12/09/22 - *Isaiah Foskey, rJr/2023, Notre Dame + More +

From the moment he arrived at Notre Dame, Isaiah Foskey's first-step quickness always stood out. It came as little surprise then on Thursday afternoon when Foskey, the school's all-time leader in sacks, announced he was declaring for the NFL Draft and would skip the Dec. 30 Gator Bowl against No. 19 South Carolina. The move would allow the star pass rusher to get a head start in preparations for the professional level. A fourth-year junior who broke Justin Tuck's career sack record on Senior Day against Boston College, Foskey added 1.5 sacks in his final college outing, a 38-27 loss to USC and Heisman Trophy favorite Caleb Williams.

"He didn't come back just to break the (sack) record," Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said on Senior Day. "He came back to win a national championship. He didn't win a championship this year, but what he did for this program...to me will be the reason why we do win a national championship." Foskey, 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, played through nagging injuries this season that saw his defensive snap count drop to an average of 35 in wins over North Carolina and Brigham Young. He had just 3.5 sacks through the season's first half, and for a time it appeared Foskey might fall short of Tuck's record. - South Bend Tribune

rJr/2023

DE *Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
News Source: South Bend Tribune
Share/Comment: Here

12/08/22 - Kaleb Smith, rSr/2024, Notre Dame + More +

2022 ALL-ACC FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION: WR - Kaleb Smith, Virginia Tech, 22 votes,...Smith (6-2, 222) tallied 37 receptions for 674 yards to lead the Hokies in both categories. He registered a team-long reception of 85 yards against NC State on Oct. 27. Smith averaged 18.2 yards per catch and 61.3 receiving yards per game to lead the team, scoring three touchdowns on the season. The Louisa County, Virginia product was named the ACC Wide Receiver of the Week for his efforts at Pitt on Oct. 8, catching nine passes for 152 yards. - Virginia Tech Football

rSr/2024

WR Kaleb Smith, Notre Dame
News Source: Virginia Tech Football
Share/Comment: Here

12/02/22 - Riley Leonard, Sr/2025, Notre Dame + More +

2022 ALL-ACC FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION: QB - Riley Leonard, Duke, 22 votes,...Leonard, a 6-4, 212-pound sophomore from Fairhope, Ala., has completed 231-of-364 (.635) pass attempts for 2,794 yards with 20 touchdowns this season. He's added 636 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns to become the first player in program history to record 10-plus rushing and 20-plus passing touchdowns in a single season. Leonard leads all ACC quarterbacks in rushing yards and holds Duke's longest rush and rushing touchdown on the season, a 74-yard scoring jaunt against North Carolina. He became just the second quarterback in program lore to rush for 600-plus yards and throw for 2,000-plus yards in a single game. He capped off his first full season at the helm with a career-best performance against Wake Forest, where he finished 29-of-41 passing for 391 with four touchdowns. He is currently one of four quarterbacks in the country to have 10-plus rushing and 20-plus passing touchdowns on the year. - Duke Football

Sr/2025

QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
News Source: Duke Football
Share/Comment: Here

12/02/22 - Sam Hartman, rSr/2024, Notre Dame + More +

2022 ALL-ACC FOOTBALL THIRD TEAM: QB - Sam Hartman, Wake Forest, 82 votes,...Sam Hartman, who is one of eight returning semifinalists for the Maxwell Award from a year ago and one of five returning finalists for the Manning Award, goes into the 2022 season with 9,266 career passing yards, ranking second in program history. Additionally, he holds the program record with 72 career touchdown passes while also ranking in the top-five in program history in career completions, attempts, completion percentage and passing efficiency. He is the only Wake Forest quarterback with three or more four-plus touchdown games in his career. Last season, the Charlotte, N.C. native...had a breakout sophomore campaign, being named a finalist for the Manning Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award while also being chosen as a Semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award. He garnered Second Team All-ACC honors from the league, coaches and media, was the back-to-back ACC Quarterback of the Week (Oct. 25 and Nov. 1) and was named MVP of the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, finishing the game with 304 yards and three touchdown passes. - Wake Forest Football

rSr/2024

QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
News Source: Wake Forest Football
Share/Comment: Here

11/29/22 - Beaux Collins, Sr/2025, Notre Dame + More +

Receiver Beaux Collins needs surgery on his injured right shoulder and will not play the rest of the season, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday. Collins is a 6-foot-3 sophomore who leads the 10th-ranked Tigers with five touchdown catches. He returned Saturday after missing the two previous games because of a separated shoulder and had two catches, including a 59-yard grab that was Clemson's longest completion of the season. Collins reinjured the shoulder against the Gamecocks and came back to the sidelines with his arm in a sling. Clemson lost 31-30 to South Carolina. Swinney said Collins would miss the ACC championship game against No. 24 North Carolina and the Tigers' bowl game. He finished the season with 22 catches for 373 yards. - AP College Football

Sr/2025

WR Beaux Collins, Notre Dame
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

11/29/22 - Sam Hartman, rSr/2024, Notre Dame + More +

2022 BRIAN PICCOLO AWARD WINNER: Wake Forest redshirt junior quarterback Sam Hartman has been named the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference's 2022 Brian Piccolo Award, the league announced on Monday. The Piccolo Award has been given annually since 1970 in memory of the late Brian Piccolo to the "most courageous" football player in the ACC. As a standout running back at Wake Forest, Piccolo was the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1965 and played for the Chicago Bears before his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer. His courageous fight against the disease was an inspiration to the Bears and the entire football community.

Hartman had serious doubts in early August that he would ever play football again, let alone be allowed to take the field for the 2022 season. Diagnosed with Paget-Schroetter syndrome (effort thrombosis) - a rare blood clot in the subclavian vein - the Charlotte, North Carolina native was immediately restricted from football-related activities. He underwent a procedure to remove the blood clot and subsequent surgery to eliminate the pressure on the affected vein. With a rehab effort led by Dr. Julie A. Freischlag, a renowned vascular surgeon and one of the world's leading experts in Paget-Schroetter syndrome, Hartman defied all odds by returning to the practice field in less than a month. Freischlag, the CEO/Chief Academic Officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Dean of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, teamed with Dr. Matthew Goldman, Niles Fleet and the entire Wake medical sports and performance staff to enhance Hartman's remarkable recovery. - ACC Football

rSr/2024

QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
News Source: ACC Football
Share/Comment: Here

11/28/22 - Riley Leonard, Sr/2025, Notre Dame + More +

NOV 28 ACC QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK: Riley Leonard, QB, Duke, Fairhope, Ala.,...Completed 29-of-41 (.707) pass attempts for 391 yards and four touchdowns in the Blue Devils' 34-31 win over Wake Forest ... TD passes covered 30, 46, 30 and 20 yards ... Threw the game-winning 20-yard TD pass to Sahmir Hagans with 2:04 remaining in the game ... The four touchdown passes of 20 yards or more tied the Duke single-game record ... Completed his first 12 passes of the game ... Completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns were all career-best marks. - ACC Football

Sr/2025

QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
News Source: ACC Football
Share/Comment: Here

11/26/22 - Riley Leonard, Sr/2025, Notre Dame + More +

Riley Leonard threw for a career-best 391 yards and four touchdowns and Duke used a late touchdown to close out the regular season with a 34-31 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday. Leonard, who completed 29-of-41 passes, connected with Sahmir Hagans for the game-winning score, a 20-yard reception with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Hagans finished with two touchdowns and set career-highs in receptions and receiving yards, as did Duke's Jalon Calhoun. As a duo, Hagans and Calhoun accounted for 19 receptions and 313 receiving yards. With the win, the Blue Devils (8-4, 5-3 ACC) snapped a three-game losing streak in their series with the Demon Deacons and recorded their first eight-win regular season since 2014. Wake Forest (7-5, 3-5) quarterback Sam Hartman completed 26-of-42 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted late in the fourth by Duke defensive back Darius Joiner. Demon Deacon wide receiver A.T. Perry had eight catches for 87 yards and a score in the loss. - Duke/AP College Football

Sr/2025