2018 Notre Dame Opponents Lose Own Share Of Juniors
Per the National Football League, a total of 123 players declared early for the 2018 NFL Draft.
“Declaring early” can be defined two ways. One is the players who have been on campus only three years — true juniors academically — but are skipping their senior season. Notre Dame’s examples this year were running back Josh Adams and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown.
The other is the player who has been on campus four years, is still eligible for a fifth season, but doesn’t use it, often because he is projected as a high draft pick and has, for the most part, achieved pretty much all he could individually at the collegiate level. That would be guard Quenton Nelson, who joined the likes of previous Notre Dame players such as Chris Zorich, Jeff Faine, Justin Tuck, Anthony Fasano, Tyler Eifert, Louis Nix III, etc., all of whom had a fifth season on the table but opted to move on with their professional football careers.
Interesting about this year’s early declarations are the quality and quantity of departures among what are expected to be four of Notre Dame’s five opponents who have been unanimously rated among the “way too early top 25” lists this winter.
While Michigan, the 2018 opener on Sept. 1, did not have anyone, Florida State, USC, Stanford and Virginia Tech had numerous notable departures:
Florida State (6)
This Nov. 10 matchup will be almost 25 years to the day of the Nov. 13, 1993 showdown between the No. 1 Seminoles and No. 2 Fighting Irish, won 31-24 by Notre Dame.
Don’t expect Florida State to be No. 1 this time. Coming off a 7-6 record (one of the wins against FCS Delaware State), including 3-5 in the ACC, and now under first-year coach Willie Taggart, the Seminoles were behind only LSU — which lost to Notre Dame in the Citrus Bowl — with the most early departures, not including tight end Ryan Izzo, who could have returned for a fifth year.
The defense in particular was hit hard with ends Jalen Wilkerson and Josh Sweat, safety Derwin James and cornerback Tarvarus McFadden all leaving early, but the offense also lost wideout Auden Tate, who caught 10 touchdowns this past season.
USC (4)
The playmaking trio on offense with quarterback Sam Darnold, running back Ronald Jones and wideout Deontay Burnett all left after their juniors seasons, as did former five-star recruit Rasheem Green at defensive tackle.
That doesn’t mean the November slate doesn’t remain challenging for the Irish with Florida State at home on Nov. 10 prior to the Nov. 24 trip to USC — with a trip to Yankee Stadium versus Syracuse in between — but it does potentially reduce the degree of difficulty.
The plus side for the Trojans was that linebacker Cameron Smith and cornerback Iman Marshall opted to return as seniors.
Stanford (2)
This is sort of a wash with Notre Dame. Like Notre Dame’s Nelson, star defensive lineman Harrison Phillips could have returned for a fifth season, and likewise with tight end Dalton Schultz. Both are moving on.
What did hurt was losing the secondary combination of second-team All-American safety Justin Reid and second-team All-Pac 12 corner Quenton Meeks after their junior seasons.
However, the return of running back Bryce Love (2,118 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns last season), a front-runner for the 2018 Heisman Trophy behind a veteran, experienced line, was a bit of a surprise.
Virginia Tech (2)
Esteemed long-time time Hokies coordinator Bud Foster lost his stalwarts at all three levels: former five-star recruit Tim Settle along the line, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and his brother Terrell Edmunds at safety — although the latter was a senior with a fifth season remaining.
The first trip ever to Blacksburg Oct. 6, the week after hosting Stanford, still will be a formidable task.
Other top juniors on the 2018 Notre Dame schedule to depart early were Wake Forest safety Jessie Bates, and the Pitt tandem of receiver/return man Quadree Henderson and safety Jordan Whitehead (offensive tackle Brian O'Neill decided not to return for a fifth season).
2018 Schedule
Sept. 1 — Michigan
Sept. 8 — Ball State
Sept. 15 — Vanderbilt
Sept. 22 — at Wake Forest
Sept. 29 — Stanford
Oct. 6 — at Virginia Tech
Oct. 13 — Pitt
Oct. 27 — vs. Navy (San Diego)
Nov. 3 — at Northwestern
Nov. 10 — Florida State
Nov. 17 — vs. Syracuse (Yankee Stadium)
Nov. 24 — at USC
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