A number of new faces will get opportunities to make an impact for Notre Dame in 2019. Graduation and the NFL have sapped the roster of a number of crucial players from the 2018 roster and a number of younger players are poised to fill the void.
The boost in young talent is one reason why expectations remain high for Notre Dame in 2019.
The BGI staff debates which freshman will have the biggest impact. Although Notre Dame does not recognize redshirt freshmen, for the purpose of this article we will go with the rest of college football and include all true freshmen and redshirt freshmen for this discussion. (Note: Only position players were considered, which is why freshman punter Jay Bramblett was not mentioned)
LOU SOMOGYI, SENIOR EDITOR
JARRETT PATTERSON, CENTER: There are numerous newcomer of the year candidates on Notre Dame’s 2019 roster.
The first to come on mind on defense are true freshman nose tackle Jacob Lacey and redshirt freshman Buck linebacker Jack Lamb. On offense, the redshirted freshman trio of Lawrence Keys III, Braden Lenzy and Joe Wilkins all could be factors, with classmate and tight end Tommy Tremble a dark horse.
However, all the aforementioned figures most likely will be in rotational or niche roles. There is only one I foresee having a full-time starting capacity: redshirt freshman center Jarrett Patterson.
