Multi-faceted ND signee Hillman makes a run at safety in Polynesian Bowl
Brandyn Hillman signed his National Letter of Intent with Notre Dame on Dec. 21, unsure of what position he’d eventually play for the Irish or even what side of the ball on which he’d start his career.
He was equally unconcerned about it.
Friday in the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu, though, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound high school senior got a taste of what seems his most likely college football starting point — safety.
Hillman, one of 12 June enrollees in Notre Dame’s 24-man freshman class, started at the position for Team Makai on Friday and made two tackles in an eventual 22-17 loss to Team Mauka at Kunuiakea Stadium in the sixth annual high school all-star showcase.
Former Irish All-America linebacker and 2012 Heisman Trophy runner-up Manti Te’o was in attendance Friday, taking in the action. He was back in his home state of Hawaii, days after his second child — son Kyro Aumua Te’o — was born. Manti will be inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Hillman, meanwhile. and the rest of Team Makai’s defense was constantly challenged by future Tennessee QB and Polynesian Bowl offensive MVP Nico Iamaleava. He threw for 186 yards and a TD with one interception, and ran for 65 yards.
One-time Notre Dame commit Jayden Limar, an 11th-hour flip to Oregon, was in Team Makai’s running back rotation and rushed for 10 yards on three carries.
Hillman, a late-rising, three-star prospect from Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va., will likely join early enrolled freshman safeties Ben Minich and Adon Shuler at a position group that got some needed reinforcements in January when DJ Brown opted to return for a sixth year and Oklahoma State grad Thomas Harper transferred in.
But it’s a top-heavy group of players with expiring eligibility and/or draft eligibility. Possible starters Ramon Henderson and Xavier Watts are both seniors, though each could return in 2024. Hillman could be part of the next wave.
He also has the skill set to play cornerback, running back, wide receiver or high school quarterback. This past season for Churchland High, Hillman threw for 1,054 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 1,265 yards and 22 touchdowns on offense.
On defense, he had 41 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and four pass breakups.
He chose the Irish over finalists USC, North Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia Tech.
“That’s one of those guys you kind of watch the film and say, ‘OK, he’s a football player. Get him into your program and figure it out,'” ND head coach Marcus Freeman said last month on National Signing Day.
“He’s tall. He’s long. He has great athleticism, and he’s physical and tough and intelligent. That guy will make us better. Where? To be determined. But that guy will make this program better."
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