Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly confirmed on Sunday that junior cornerback Nick Watkins, who had surgery on April 2 for a broken left humerus, will undergo surgery again and take a medical redshirt season in 2016.

Projected as a starter in the preseason, Watkins was sidelined this August before the Notre Dame medical staff had him go through an aggressive treatment to help stimulate bone growth. Kelly hinted a couple of weeks ago that he was leaning toward redshirting Watkins. When the bone continued to not take satisfactory growth, the decision was made on Friday to redshirt him. Watkins will be eligible to use his final two seasons in 2017 and 2018.

That made Watkins, whose starting debut came in the Fiesta Bowl last season versus Ohio State, the third projected 2016 starter in the secondary who has seen his campaign ended before it even really began. Senior free safety Max Redfield was removed from the team after an Aug. 19 arrest, and sophomore nickel/cornerback Shaun Crawford suffered a second season-ending injury with a torn Achilles early in the Sept. 10 win over Nevada. Furthermore, top reserve and senior Devin Butler, who was not projected to return to the lineup until October because of a broken left foot suffered this summer, is on suspension for an indefinite period because of an off-the-field incident in August.

Consequently, Notre Dame has had to lean on its freshman class for help at corner. In Saturday’s 50-33 win versus Syracuse, freshmen Julian Love and Donte Vaughn both received the starting nod as the outside corners, while senior Cole Luke was shifted inside to the nickel. It was the first time to our recollection that Notre Dame started two freshman cornerbacks in a game since 1979, when Dave Duerson started seven times and Rod Bone twice.

Also activated for the Syracuse game was another freshman, speedster Troy Pride Jr., who saw action after the coaching staff had originally intended to redshirt him. With still seven and possibly eight games to go, Love, Vaughn and Pride Jr. have an opportunity to have one of the best freshman seasons ever by a Notre Dame cornerback. Here are our top five:

1. KeiVarae Russell (2012) — The running back/slot receiver recruit was asked to move to corner because the position had been depleted by graduation and injury. While starting all 13 games during Notre Dame’s 12-1 season that ended with a loss in the BCS National Championship Game, Russell earned first-team Freshman All-America honors from two outlets and second-team notice from two others. On the stellar defense that was rated No. 1 at the end of the season, Russell finished fifth in tackles with 58, and also intercepted passes in tight wins over Michigan (13-6) and USC (22-13).

2. Stacey Toran (1980) — When sophomore Duerson was injured in the second game, the rangy 6-4, 185-pound freshman Toran made his first career start in the third game, at Michigan State, at weakside corner. He was so effective that when Duerson was healthy again a couple of week later, Toran stayed at corner and Duerson was shifted to strong safety for the remainder of his career. Toran started the last 10 games on a defense that led a 9-0-1 start and set a Notre Dame record with 23 straight quarters of not allowing a touchdown. He made the Football News’ All-Freshman Team, finishing with 30 tackles, six passes broken up and a clutch interception near the goal line in a 3-3 tie with Georgia Tech.

3. Dave Duerson (1979) — He was thrown into the fire when starting corners Waymer and John Krimm were both injured. The freshman played in nine games and started seven., finishing with 24 tackles, two passes broken up and interceptions in victories against Georgia Tech and Miami, the latter played in Tokyo, Japan, in the season finale of a 7-4 campaign. Against the Hurricanes, he also had 46- and 43-yard punt returns.

4. Robert Blanton (2008) — After sitting out the San Diego State opener, he played in the last 12 games during a 7-6 season and started the last four, totaling 170 minutes and 24 seconds of playing time for the year. In the fourth game, versus Purdue, he recorded five solo tackles, broke up a pass and scored the game’s first TD on a weaving 47-yard return of a Curtis Painter pick. He was a standout in the 38-3 loss at USC with seven solo stops (one for a loss), a pass broken up and an interception. He finished the year with 33 tackles (three for loss).

5. Troy Wilson (1983) — In head coach Gerry Faust’s third season, Wilson began to play an integral role at corner, starting in 42-0 and 27-6 victories against Army and USC (when Toran was injured), and then intercepting a pass against Navy a week later. Overall, he had 153:19 of playing time, 18 tackles and two interceptions. His signature moment was deflecting Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie’s final pass on a fourth-down attempt that allowed the Irish to hold on for a 19-18 victory in the Liberty Bowl.

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