DJ Brown went through the goodbye motions with the departing players on Senior Day, with the intention of the Nov. 19 home game vs. Boston College being his last at Notre Dame Stadium.
But knowing he had a U-turn available if he had second thoughts.
The 6-0, 200-pound safety has decided to flip the original script, declaring his intentions on Sunday to return to Notre Dame in 2023 for a sixth college season instead of entering the NFL Draft or transferring out. Brown shared the news on Instagram.
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Because Brown redshirted a freshman in 2018, he can exercise his COVID exemption option to return to ND. Players with remaining college eligibility, even those with degree in hand, have until Jan. 16 to notify the league of their intention to enter the draft.
Fellow safety Brandon Joseph, who could have returned to ND, announced on Dec. 31 his intentions to be an early draft entry. Tight end Michael Mayer and defensive end Isaiah Foskey, both consensus All-Americans last season, declared in early December and opted out of ND’s Dec. 30 Gator Bowl matchup with South Carolina.
Brown played in all 13 games for the Irish (9-4) in 2022, including 10 starts. He was fourth on the team in tackles with 48 with a half-tackle for loss, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. All three of his career interceptions came during the 2021 season.
The Annapolis, Md., product played his high school football at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. He came to Notre Dame as a three-star cornerback prospect but eventually found traction for playing time as a safety.
In 2022, he was part of a five-man rotation at the two safety spots. With Houston Griffith also departing (because of expiring eligibility), Brown along with juniors Xavier Watts and Ramon Henderson will remain the core of that group.
The Irish added Oklahoma State transfer Thomas Harper to the position group on Jan. 6 to a group of newcomers that also includes incoming freshmen Ben Minich and Adon Shuler to the position group and presumably Brandyn Hillman as well. Sophomore Justin Walters returns, but did not play a single snap at safety in 2022.
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