Cam Hart proved himself right.
He returned to Notre Dame for a fifth season in 2023 with the expressed goal of improving his NFL Draft stock. On Saturday, he became a fifth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Chargers. He was selected with pick No. 140 overall.
Hart joined offensive tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher and linebacker Marist Liufau as the fourth former Notre Dame player selected in this year's draft. The Chargers also picked Alt with the No. 5 overall pick in the first round Thursday night. The Houston Texans drafted Fisher in the second round, and Liufau went in the third round to the Dallas Cowboys on Friday night.
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Hart became the first Notre Dame cornerback selected since the Carolina Panthers drafted Troy Pride Jr. in the fourth round in 2020. The Irish only had four cornerbacks picked in the previous 10 drafts: Pride, Julian Love in 2019, KeiVarae Russell in 2016, and Bennett Jackson in 2014.
Hart finished his Notre Dame career with arguably his best season. He totaled 21 tackles, three tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, four pass breakups and one recovered fumble. According to Pro Football Focus, Hart allowed only 15 catches for 137 yards and no touchdowns on 28 targets in 12 games.
Hart battled shoulder injuries throughout his career with the first coming during his freshman season in 2019. He had two more shoulder surgeries following the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He still played in 47 games throughout his time at Notre Dame, including 32 starts. Hart tallied 91 tackles, 17 pass breakups and two interceptions during that time.
"The traits are outstanding," Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said of Hart. "He's highly competitive. He can challenge all throws when he is in position. Length to recover, speed to recover."
The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Hart showed impressive measurables at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this year with standing broad jump of 10 feet, 10 inches, a vertical jump of 39.5 inches, an arm-length measurement of 33 inches and 40-yard dash of 4.50 seconds.
Those numbers at Hart's size reflected why he's been so good in coverage at Notre Dame.
"I think it makes it a lot easier for me," Hart said of his length in a conference call with reporters Saturday. "A shorter guy may feel like they have to catch up a little bit or if they're a yard or two away that they can't get their eyes back or things like that. I feel like with my length that I can do that.
"I can be physical at the line of scrimmage. I can win there. I can guard everybody. I can guard tight ends. I can guard 6-5 receivers. Even the short receivers I can guard. I can use that to my advantage as well, getting my hands on those guys at the line of scrimmage."
Notre Dame signed Hart as a three-star recruit out of Olney (Md.) Counsel. Rivals ranked him as the No. 53 athlete, a designation given to prospects who can play multiple positions, in the 2019 class. The Irish originally intended for Hart to play wide receiver, but he quickly moved over to cornerback in his freshman year.
The Chargers might be hurting for receivers in an offseason that saw them lose Keenan Allen in a trade to the Chicago Bears and Mike Williams as a salary cap cut, but they won't turn to Hart for that. They drafted Georgia's Ladd McConkey, USC's Brenden Rice and Michigan's Cornelius Johnson this week to add to the receiver room.
Hart will join former Notre Dame safety Alohi Gilman in the secondary for the Chargers. Gilman, who was drafted in the sixth round in 2020, started 14 games for the Chargers last season.
The team also added ND nickelback Thomas Harper as an undrafted free agent. The influence of new Chargers safeties coach Chris O'Leary, who spent the last six seasons in various roles at Notre Dame, might have something to do with that.
"He and I have a really great relationship," Hart said. "He's one of the best coaches that I've ever had in my life and is one of the smartest coaches. It's pretty cool to be able to link back up with him and be able to learn more from him and just get better."
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