Those who stayed starred: Recapping the Notre Dame recruiting class of 2019
This story appears in the Blue & Gold Illustrated 2024 Notre Dame Football Preview. To order your copy of the 160-page, full-color, glossy magazine, which includes opponent previews, Fighting Irish position previews and exclusive features like this one, click here.
Notre Dame’s highest-rated signee in the class of 2019, one that ranked 14th nationally for its 22 commits, safety Kyle Hamilton, and the lowest-ranked non-specialist, cornerback Cam Hart, had their names called in the NFL Draft, two years apart.
Such is the story of Notre Dame’s 2019 class.
Some, like Hamilton and running back Kyren Williams, required just three years in South Bend to turn themselves into NFL draftees. Others, like Hart and linebackers Marist Liufau and JD Bertrand, needed five. Others in between are still at Notre Dame and are maintaining the culture changes from the Brian Kelly era to that of Marcus Freeman.
All told, Notre Dame’s class of 2019 brought a bit of everything.
Five-Year Record
• Overall: 50-13• ACC: 27-3• Bowl Games: 3-2• Versus USC: 3-1• Versus Stanford: 4-0• Versus Navy: 4-0• Top-20 Finishes: 5
Year-By-Year Record
• 2019: 11-2, Camping World Bowl vs. Iowa State (W, 33-9). Final Rankings: AP No. 12, Coaches No. 11• 2020: 10-2, College Football Playoff semifinal at Rose Bowl vs. Alabama (L, 31-14). Final Rankings: AP No. 5, Coaches No. 5• 2021: 11-2, Fiesta Bowl vs. Oklahoma State (L, 37-35). Final Rankings: AP No. 8, Coaches No. 9• 2022: 9-4, Gator Bowl vs. South Carolina (W, 45‑38), Final Rankings: AP No. 18, Coaches No. 18• 2023: 10-3, Sun Bowl vs. Oregon State (W, 40‑8), Final Rankings: AP No. 14, Coaches No. 14
Top Storylines
1. Stars Of The Show
Hamilton was a can’t-miss prospect who arrived at Notre Dame as the No. 1 safety in the country according to 247Sports. He was supposed to be a face-of-the-program type of player from the start, and he was — 4 of his 8 career interceptions came when he was a true freshman.
Hamilton’s junior season was unfortunately shortened to seven appearances because of a knee injury, but he still had 3 interceptions that year. Every time he played he was the guy Notre Dame fans couldn’t keep their eyes off of on defense.
On offense, it was Williams.
A less heralded recruit than Hamilton, Williams only ran the ball 4 times as a true freshman. Including Williams’ 1 reception, Hamilton got his hands on the ball in games more times than Williams in 2019. Hamilton had 6 passes defended in addition to his interceptions.
In the end, though, Williams made as much noise offensively as Hamilton did for the Notre Dame defense. Back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons will do that. He finished his career with 2,153 rushing yards, 675 receiving yards and 31 total touchdowns despite being a non-factor in his first year on campus.
When you look back on Notre Dame’s class of 2019, you’ll always start with Hamilton (a first-team Associated Press NFL All-Pro in 2023) and finish with Williams (a second-team All-Pro last season). Rightfully so.
2. The Transfer Portal Era
Twelve of Notre Dame’s 22 signees in 2019 left the program via the transfer portal. It never used to be in a coaching staff’s wildest imagination to see half a class suit up for somebody else within a span of half a decade, but it’s the norm now. It’s never been easier for student-athletes to decide it’s in their best interest to play at another program.
Notre Dame’s 2019 class defections span from punter Jay Bramblett following Brian Kelly to LSU and defensive back KJ Wallace becoming a regular starter at Georgia Tech. Other departures were less noteworthy, like quarterback Brendon Clark going to Old Dominion only to appear in two games there in 2022 and offensive lineman John Olmstead downgrading to FCS ball and becoming Lafayette College’s full-time starter at center.
The No. 2 through No. 5 players in the class — offensive linemen Zeke Correll and Quinn Carroll, defensive lineman Jacob Lacey and cornerback Isaiah Rutherford, in that order — all ended up elsewhere. So did wideout/running back Kendall Abdur-Rahman, safety Litchfield Ajavon, linebacker Osita Ekwonu and defensive lineman Nana Osafo-Mensah.
And yet, Notre Dame still got enough from the likes of Kyle Hamilton and Kyren Williams to still make that year’s recruiting intake worthwhile — even if only 10 of the 22 players saw it through to finish their careers with the Fighting Irish.
3. Backing Everybody Up
In all likelihood, Notre Dame will put three linebackers from the class of 2019 into the NFL. Marist Liufau and JD Bertrand were 2024 draft picks, with the former going in the third round to the Dallas Cowboys and the latter going in the fifth round to the Atlanta Falcons.
Jack Kiser is next up.
Both Liufau and Bertrand could have used COVID-19 waivers given to every student-athlete who appeared in the 2020 season to return for a sixth season in 2024, but in the end it was only Kiser who chose to utilize the freebie. He was Notre Dame’s highest-rated defensive player in 2023 per Pro Football Focus with a grade of 90.3. He’s the highest-graded returning linebacker in college football per PFF, too.
Kiser probably could have gotten drafted had he went into the same pool as Liufau and Bertrand. Instead, he’ll likely be named a team captain this year and will put one more year of college ball on film to take into next year’s draft.
Through 2023, Liufau, Bertrand and Kiser have combined for 4,686 defensive snaps and 569 total tackles. You can’t tell the class of 2019’s story without that trio.
NFL Draft Picks
• Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens, first round, No. 14 overall, 2022• Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams, fifth round, No. 164 overall, 2022• Isaiah Foskey, New Orleans Saints, second round, No. 40 overall, 2023• Marist Liufau, Dallas Cowboys, third round, No. 87 overall, 2024• Cam Hart, Los Angeles Chargers, fifth round, No. 140 overall, 2024• JD Bertrand, Atlanta Falcons, fifth round, No. 143 overall, 2024
Final Grade: B+
Had half the class not left Notre Damefor the transfer portal, this wouldat least be an A-. But since half a dozen (and counting) of those who stayed were NFL Draft picks, the grade is still high.
The post Those who stayed starred: Recapping the Notre Dame recruiting class of 2019 appeared first on On3.
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