From the first practice of Notre Dame’s preseason camp this month, Davis Sherwood’s presence has been notable.

The sophomore walk-on was asked to play a hybrid tight end/fullback role with Notre Dame’s starting offense as the Irish worked in goal-line scenarios on Day 1. Sherwood has continued to find niche work with the first-string offense throughout the preseason.

His value became even more evident Tuesday when he was given a football scholarship, a source confirmed with Inside ND Sports. Blue & Gold Illustrated first reported the news.

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Notre Dame tight ends coach Gerad Parker highlighted the addition of the 6-foot-3, 228-pound Sherwood to the tight end group in the spring.

"To be able to get Davis Sherwood to move and play a role in our offense has been good for us as well,” Parker said in April.

Sherwood played in 12 games as a freshman. Though he practiced with the linebackers, his game-day roles came on special teams, most frequently on punts and punt returns. He totaled three tackles throughout the season with one each against Virginia Tech, Navy and Georgia Tech.

Only four other freshmen played in as many games as Sherwood last season: offensive tackle Joe Alt, wide receiver Lorenzo Styles, tight end Mitchell Evans and running back Audric Estime.

Sherwood, a product of Greensboro, N.C., came to Notre Dame after a high school career that included stops at Woodberry Forest (Va.) High as a freshman, Hightstown (N.J.) The Peddie School as a sophomore and junior and Olney (Md.) Good Counsel as a senior.

Rivals rated Sherwood as a two-star recruit in the 2021 class with 18 reported scholarship offers including Navy, Army, Air Force, Kent State and a number of Ivy League schools.

Because Tuesday was the first day of fall semester classes at Notre Dame, it was also the deadline for Notre Dame to meet the 85-scholarship limit for the 2022 season. Notre Dame was at 85 scholarships prior to promoting Sherwood.

To make room for Sherwood, the Irish could move sixth-year wide receiver Avery Davis, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL, to a medically retired designation. That would close the door on an unlikely seventh season at Notre Dame for Davis.

Notre Dame had not yet confirmed its scholarship movement as of the publishing of this story.

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