2023 Safety position

[jbrown_9999 1,028]

Given the Hillman news, I thought I would start a thread to discuss Safeties for 2023.

@ND_JACK posted a link by Brian Driskell which I thought I would link again.

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-loss-of-brandyn-hillman-increases-the-need-to-make-a-move-at-safety

What 2023 looks like at safety is:

Xavier Watts - IMO, future NFL'er

Ramon Henderson

DJ Brown (Driskell says it pretty well: Brown is more of a depth player, and although he adds value in many ways, if Notre Dame wants to put a championship defense on the field in 2023 they'll need to get better at the position)

Justin Walters

Adon Shuler (shoulder injury - out this Spring)

Ben Minich

Thomas Harper (move from nickel to safety?)

Clarence Lewis (move from CB?)

Someone else moving positions?

Portal move?

 

Thoughts?

[Baldy 1,268]

2 hours ago, jbrown_9999 said:

Given the Hillman news, I thought I would start a thread to discuss Safeties for 2023.

@ND_JACK posted a link by Brian Driskell which I thought I would link again.

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-loss-of-brandyn-hillman-increases-the-need-to-make-a-move-at-safety

What 2023 looks like at safety is:

Xavier Watts - IMO, future NFL'er

Ramon Henderson

DJ Brown (Driskell says it pretty well: Brown is more of a depth player, and although he adds value in many ways, if Notre Dame wants to put a championship defense on the field in 2023 they'll need to get better at the position)

Justin Walters

Adon Shuler (shoulder injury - out this Spring)

Ben Minich

Thomas Harper (move from nickel to safety?)

Clarence Lewis (move from CB?)

Someone else moving positions?

Portal move?

 

Thoughts?

Here are my thoughts.

Watts and Henderson will be the most important players at the position, so let’s hope they stay healthy all season.

Brown will be more of a need in a backup role, as was already stated.  However, I believe Adon Shuler, and Ben Minich will be playing a lot as the season goes on, and could see them in a 1B type role alongside Watts and Henderson with one of them taking Brown’s spot as a backup.  Justin Walters could be ready, but see him as more of a special teams players at first.

Clarence Lewis should stay at Corner and possibly make him the Nickel and move Harper to Safety, since Harper has experience at the position.

I don’t think there’s a need for a portal move, but I could be wrong in that regard.  It’s just how I see it.

I could also be wrong with this assessment, but that’s my two cents.

[FaithInIrish Forever 4,738]

4 hours ago, jbrown_9999 said:

Given the Hillman news, I thought I would start a thread to discuss Safeties for 2023.

@ND_JACK posted a link by Brian Driskell which I thought I would link again.

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-loss-of-brandyn-hillman-increases-the-need-to-make-a-move-at-safety

What 2023 looks like at safety is:

Xavier Watts - IMO, future NFL'er

Ramon Henderson

DJ Brown (Driskell says it pretty well: Brown is more of a depth player, and although he adds value in many ways, if Notre Dame wants to put a championship defense on the field in 2023 they'll need to get better at the position)

Justin Walters

Adon Shuler (shoulder injury - out this Spring)

Ben Minich

Thomas Harper (move from nickel to safety?)

Clarence Lewis (move from CB?)

Someone else moving positions?

Portal move?

 

Thoughts?

great thread we'll watch these players throughout spring football 

[mcgov12 1,237]

I think you make the move with Clarence Lewis. You have CB options backing up Morrison and Hart with Mickey, Barnes, Tucker. You have Christian Gray and Micah Bell coming in. Harper was brought in as a nickel, I don’t believe he moves unless there’s more injuries or attrition there.

[Big23Head 2,288]

For health reasons they definitely need to search for a serviceable portal option.

[ND_JACK 321]

I think you got to at least take a look at moving both Harper and Lewis. Maybe Harper has to.wear two hats. And as Big said for health reasons seek portal health insurance.

[JeffV 332]

Harper looks like he can play both, but he was brought in to play nickel.  If we're running a lot of that, I expect he's in the slot (most weeks).  Watts, Henderson, Brown are the current traditional safety rotation, with the above noted as backups.  Harper rotating in certain formations - although the corners can probably all run outside 3rd safety, as needed.  Lewis is a good candidate for nickel safety help without having to actually move positions.

But depth is thin, for sure.  A really good point that it would get real dicey if there are injuries.  I still think we're in-house for solutions.

They need a 2-high safety, typically strong - good at run support.  My guess is we're sure to see a position move (or multiple) next week.  Will be interesting to see who moves from.  Probable that they're already talking to multiple players - Film room, coverage, calls...Tucker, Barnes, Riley.  It's likely that this was in play weeks ago, before the de-commit.  You'd move Lewis or Mickey only if they were to be likely starters, I think. 

Similarly, given the scholarship situation (93, right?), I don't see how they could entertain a portal move unless it was a high level guy - and I don't believe those will come up in this window.  Why would we take a guy that just lost his position battle?  If we're at all comfortable with our starters, we're not offering another scholarship for another backup.

[NDhoosier 1,233]

Safety is definitely the most concerning position on the entire team going into the 2023 spring practice.

I really think Harper should be moved there and I believe that is why he was brought in. They are have their two starting corners in Hart and Morrison. Im sure he came in to play a lot of time, Safety/Nickel is that spot. Maybe Lewis.

Henderson needs a lot of development in my opinion before he should be taking the reigns. He has raw ability, but looks out of control and lost too often.

[coltssb 1,044]

On 3/13/2023 at 1:20 PM, jbrown_9999 said:

Given the Hillman news, I thought I would start a thread to discuss Safeties for 2023.

@ND_JACK posted a link by Brian Driskell which I thought I would link again.

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-loss-of-brandyn-hillman-increases-the-need-to-make-a-move-at-safety

What 2023 looks like at safety is:

Xavier Watts - IMO, future NFL'er

Ramon Henderson -INCONSISTENT

DJ Brown (Driskell says it pretty well: Brown is more of a depth player, and although he adds value in many ways, if Notre Dame wants to put a championship defense on the field in 2023 they'll need to get better at the position)  IS WHAT IT IS

Justin Walters     HAS HE EVEN DRESSED?

Adon Shuler (shoulder injury - out this Spring)  TAKES TIME WITH THESE INJURIES.  WILL HE BE THE SAME?

Ben Minich    PRETTY SMALL SAFETY  

Thomas Harper (move from nickel to safety?) ALSO A SMALL SAFETY.  MORE OF A NICKEL.

Clarence Lewis (move from CB?) INTRIGUES ME BUT SHOULDN’TBE THE ANSWER.

Someone else moving positions?

Portal move?

 

Thoughts?

That’s why I wanted Catalong so bad. You’ve could have sold the playing time to him or anyone. They made the same mistake on qb last year. Thought they had enough and they didn’t. 

[jimbo 377]

I think Harper at Nickel with C Lewis moving to safety is a better set up than C Lewis at nickel and Harper moving to safety.

[FaithInIrish Forever 4,738]

Just now, jimbo said:

I think Harper at Nickel with C Lewis moving to safety is a better set up than C Lewis at nickel and Harper moving to safety.

I agree. Nickel requires more single coverage, where safeties more time to read and play in space. I think Lewis has the experience to make good reads and safety don't need all the speed corners do.

[coltssb 1,044]

9 hours ago, FaithInIrish Forever said:

I agree. Nickel requires more single coverage, where safeties more time to read and play in space. I think Lewis has the experience to make good reads and safety don't need all the speed corners do.

Unless you’re like Hyatt of Tennessee who if you don’t get a jam just runs right by the safety. That would be Lewis’s bugaboo

[FaithInIrish Forever 4,738]

3 hours ago, coltssb said:

Unless you’re like Hyatt of Tennessee who if you don’t get a jam just runs right by the safety. That would be Lewis’s bugaboo

Same could be said about Kyle Hamilton who is not known for his 40 time but is one of the best safeties in the nfl as a rookie i think

[Baldy 1,268]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:42 AM, FaithInIrish Forever said:

Same could be said about Kyle Hamilton who is not known for his 40 time but is one of the best safeties in the nfl as a rookie i think

Hamilton was the highest rated safety in the NFL last season, which is insane for rookie!  Then again, it just goes to show how good he really is, which we all knew!

Edited March 21, 2023 by Baldy