Every year a couple of freshmen break through the ranks of underclassmen to make an impact on the season early in their career. Just last year Blake Fisher won a spot as the anchor of the offensive line at left tackle in his debut. Logan Diggs got a chance to shine against Navy and wasted no time earning himself a spot in the running back rotation for the rest of the year. Here are some 2022 freshmen that could prove to be immediate contributors in their rookie season.
Tobias Merriweather
If the Irish could ensure only one freshman would be up and running right away as a contributor Merriweather would be the pick. There’s no way around the depth problems Notre Dame currently faces at wide receiver. Avery Davis’ ACL tear leaves the Irish with just six scholarship wideouts currently available. Of those six, just two (Braden Lenzy and Lorenzo Styles) were major contributors last year and another two (Joe Wilkins and Deion Colzie) are nursing injuries. The math is inescapable — Notre Dame needs a breakout at wide receiver if they want their aerial attack led by new starting quarterback Tyler Buchner to cause opponents serious concerns. Merriweather seems a prime pick for that breakout. Listed at 6’4 and 198 pounds, the Camas, Wa. native seems an easy fit for the boundary spot “X” receiver spot, which would be a welcome development for Lenzy and Styles, who are more natural fits for slot roles. The buzz from fall camp has been that Merriweather has made a name for himself quickly — with one video showing him fighting off coverage to haul in a deep ball for a touchdown. And in an all hands on deck situation for Chansi Stuckey and Notre Dame, these flashes could translate into important reps week one against Ohio State.Jaden Mickey
If you followed Notre Dame football throughout the spring workout period, you likely noticed Mickey’s name kept popping up. The early enrollee made plenty of waves in his first weeks in South Bend, both for his strong play and his renowned trash talk. Swagger won’t be an issue for Mickey, who has earned praise in the Gug for never being afraid to vocalize his confidence. Despite a returning trio of Cam Hart, Clarence Lewis and TaRiq Bracy, the collapse of the Irish defense against Oklahoma State in the second half of the Fiesta Bowl hinted at there being reps for the taking in the secondary heading into 2022. Mickey, with his coverage range, tackling ability, and intangible confidence, stands out as a natural pick to slide into the rotation.Eli Raridon
With Michael Mayer returning as a presumptive first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, one would think there wouldn’t be many snaps up for grabs in the Notre Dame tight end room. The buzz around Raridon so far from fall camp indicates that might not be the right assumption. Standing nearly 6’7 and weighing in at 245 pounds, Raridon offers a unique profile for Tommy Rees and the Irish offense to try and utilize. With Notre Dame’s aforementioned injury woes at wide receiver, it's possible Rees turns to a heavier emphasis on two tight end sets. Perhaps Raridon, who has earned praise for his quickness despite his size, could see some minutes on the boundary as a receiver himself. Despite Mayer’s mastery of the tight end role, Raridon’s frame and athletic abilities make it impossible to ignore him as an option in the Irish offense.Gi’Bran Payne
The final addition to Notre Dame’s 2022 class, Payne didn’t sign with the Irish until April, when he flipped from his commitment to Indiana to follow new running backs coach Deland McCullough. It was initially assumed that fellow 2022 running back Jadarian Price would be the freshman back to make early waves in their first season. But when Price suffered a long-term injury in summer practice, Payne jumped from luxury depth to a very real option on the week one depth chart. With Logan Diggs’ availability still in question, just Chris Tyree (who’s battled injuries in the past and has rushed 10 or more times in a game just three times in his career) and Audric Estime (7 total carries in 2021) stand between Payne and hearing his name called against Ohio State.Jordan Tuihalamaka
Another player whose competition at his playing group would at first glance seem to eliminate him from contention for playing time, Tuihalamaka drew praise from the coaching staff for his college readiness over the course of spring camp. Unlike many elite high school prospects, Tuihalamaka wasn’t played all over the field, and was able to zero in on training at the inside linebacker position he excels at. Standing 6’2, 240, his physical presence certainly won’t have him out of place on a college field either. The Irish linebacker core is one of the deepest in the nation, but if injuries ravage the unit and force rotation like they did last year early on you can expect Tuihalamaka to be one of the first names down the depth chart.
