Eight former Fighting Irish players entered the week in a strong position to get picked during the 2024 NFL Draft. Which teams are the most likely to select each of them?
Drew Mentock
Notre Dame still leads every other college football program with 525 players selected in the NFL Draft all-time.
That's two more than No. 2 USC, and there's a good chance the Fighting Irish will extend its lead over the Trojans, who most draftniks project to have five players selected this weekend.
Each of the eight Notre Dame players the NFL invited to its Scouting Combine in late February entered the week in a solid position to hear their name called during the draft.
Those prospects are offensive tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, running back Audric Estime, cornerback Cam Hart, linebackers Marist Liufau and JD Bertrand, defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste and quarterback Sam Hartman.
That likely means defensive back Thomas Harper, the No. 41 overall safety prospect on the big board for ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., will end up signing as an undrafted free agent.
More than likely, six or seven Fighting Irish prospects will come off the board during the 2024 NFL Draft. I only came across two seven-round NFL mock drafts with all eight Notre Dame combine invitees selected. Those came fromThe 33rd Team and The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Below, I've put together another round-up of where popular NFL mock drafts project Notre Dame prospects to go.
Joe Alt, OT
Best Guess:
No. 7 overall to the Tennessee Titans. I've reviewed a couple dozen NFL mock drafts and the majority of them believe Alt will be a Titan.
Draft Ceiling:
- No. 5 Overall pick by the Los Angeles Chargers — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
Draft Floor:
- No. 9 Overall pick by the Chicago Bears — The NFL Network's Gennaro Filice.
Other Mocked Destinations:
I've yet to come across a respected draftnik who doesn't have Alt going to the Chargers, Titans or Bears in the top 10.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
- No. 8 overall prospect, No. 1 overall offensive tackle.
Evaluation(s):
"Alt to the Titans borders on suspiciously obvious. But the Titans' tackle situation was about as horrendous as any that I can remember, and Tennessee largely filled other gaps in free agency, adding players at running back, wide receiver, and center. Alt isn't just a sure thing; he's also still a high-ceiling prospect as a late bloomer who only recently transitioned to the offensive line. I like him as the Titans' starting left tackle for the next decade." — The Ringer's Ben Solak.
"Alt started 33 games at left tackle for the Fighting Irish, and I was most impressed by his technique on a snap-to-snap basis. He rarely gets caught out. He mirrors well in pass protection, adjusting easily to secondary moves from edge rushers. He does a great job keeping his huge frame between the defender and his quarterback. In his career, he allowed just 16 total pressures in more than 1,000 pass-block snaps." — ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Blake Fisher, OT
Best Guess:
The Pittsburgh Steelers in the second or third round.
Draft Ceiling:
- Second round, No. 50 overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles —Athlon's Luke Easterling.
Draft Floor:
- Fourth round, No. 114 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars — The NFL Network's Chad Reuter.
Other Mocked Destinations:
- Second round, No. 51 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers — The 33rd Team.
- Second round, No. 63 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers — The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer.
- Third round, No. 72 overall pick by the New York Jets — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
- Third round, No. 84 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers — The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
- No. 76 overall prospect, No. 11 offensive tackle by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Evaluation(s):
"Fisher, Notre Dame's right tackle over the past two seasons, was inconsistent at times, but he has some NFL starter traits. Kansas City has questions along its O-line, particularly at left tackle, where Donovan Smith is still unsigned." — ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
"Alt is an easy first-round offensive lineman on film, bringing a high football IQ at just 21 years old. He started as a true freshman at Notre Dame, playing more than 2,200 snaps in his three-year career. Despite being 6-foot-8, he has good flexibility to get in a three-point stance in run blocking and maintain good drive and leverage off the snap.
"His footwork is so quick for a player of his size, and his balance and core strength stand out. He is effective in both gap- and zone-blocking schemes. His only true weaknesses come from overextending his arms and getting off balance to dictate contact, and a lack of density when absorbing bull rushes." — PFF's Trevor Sikkema.
Audric Estimé, RB
Best Guess:
Fourth round, No. 125 overall prospect by Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's a prediction made by the Athlon's Luke Easterling and The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Draft Ceiling:
- Third round, No. 99 overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams — The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer.
Draft Floor:
- Fourth round, No. 134 overall pick by the New York Jets — PFF.
Other Mocked Destinations:
- Fourth round, No. 107 overall pick by the New York Giants — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
- Fourth round, No. 112 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders — ESPN's Matt Miller.
- Fourth round, No. 127 overall pick by the Houston Texans — The 33rd Team.
- Fourth round, No. 132 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers — The NFL Network's Chad Reuter.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
- No. 12 running back by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Evaluation:
"Some team is going to get a steal in Notre Dame running back Audric Estime based on where I'm hearing he's likely to be drafted. Save this post. Dude has starter talent and he'll be drafted outside the top 120 picks." — ESPN's Matt Miller.
"The Buccaneers are excited for Rachaad White this upcoming season, but it wouldn't be a surprise if they draft another running back to help carry the load. And Estime has the bruising run style that complements White well." — The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Cam Hart, CB
Best Guess:
I tend to think Hart will be the second-highest-ranked Irish prospect selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, going somewhere in the late second round.
Draft Ceiling:
Second round, No. 42 overall to the Houston Texans — The NFL Network's Chad Reuter.
Draft Floor:
Fourth round, No. 129 overall by the Minnesota Vikings — The 33rd Team.
Other Destinations:
Third round, No. 82 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
Third round, No. 84 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers — Athlon's Luke Easterling.
Fourth round, No. 107 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans — The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
Fourth round, No. 118 overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks — ESPN Matt Miller.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
No. 114 overall prospect, No. 16 cornerback.
Evaluation(s):
"Hart's combination of 6-foot-3 size and 4.5-second 40 speed makes him a starting perimeter corner option in the NFL." — ESPN's Field Yates.
"Length, ball skills and explosiveness are three traits that the Colts key on with corners (see: JuJu Brents). Hart certainly fits that description." — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
"Cam Hart projects to be a top backup as an outside corner in a zone scheme at the next level. He has good length and size for the position. He shows good instincts in both zone and off-man coverage. He shows comfort in his backpedal and plays at a good tempo, not getting sped up.
"He can click and close well; however, due to his high-hipped frame, his COD skills are limited against quicker receivers downfield. Hart can get grabby and can get out of position downfield with his back to the ball. He also lacks some on-ball production and is hesitant at the catch point." — The 33rd Team's Jordan Edwards.
Marist Liufau, LB
Best Guess:
While some projections have Liufau going early in the fifth round, I believe Liufau will fall to the sixth — or even seventh round — but he'll definitely get drafted.
Draft Ceiling:
- Fourth round, No. 107 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers — PFF.
Draft Floor:
- Seventh round, No. 250 overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens —The NFL Network's Chad Reuter.
Other Destinations:
- Fourth round, No. 125 overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer.
- Fifth round, No. 136 overall pick by the Denver Broncos — ESPN's Matt Miller.
- Fifth round, No. 151 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts — The 33rd Team.
- Sixth round, No. 218 overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens — The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
- Seventh round, No. 242 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
- No. 12 off-ball linebacker by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Evaluation:
"Marist Liufau could be a solid backup/rotational linebacker in the NFL. He has a good frame with at least decent movement skills to help in coverage, and he has experience playing multiple linebacker spots in college, giving him some positional versatility. He's also a solid pass-rusher for an off-ball 'backer, which adds more value to his résumé.
"Liufau's biggest issue is a lack of functional strength, which shows up the most against the run. He's already about 240 pounds, which is big for a modern linebacker, and he doesn't have much room for growth on his frame. In other words, he might already be tapped out in that area of his game." — Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste, DE
Best Guess:
- The Dallas Cowboys on Day 3.
Draft Ceiling:
- Fourth round, No. 129 overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings —ESPN's Matt Miller.
Draft Floor:
- Undrafted —The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer.
Other Mocked Destinations:
- Fifth round, No. 174 overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
- Sixth round, No. 191 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts — The NFL Network's Chad Reuter.
- Seventh round, No. 244 overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys — The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
- Seventh round, No. 243 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns — The 33rd Team.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
- No. 12 outsider linebacker by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Evaluation(s):
"Javontae Jean-Baptiste certainly looks the part of an NFL edge-rusher at 6'5" and listed at 260 pounds. He weighed in lighter than that at the combine, but he was rumored to have suffered from food poisoning, leading to the drop in weight. If he is closer to the 250- to 260-pound range, his combination of size and athletic testing numbers should intrigue teams.
"On the field, Jean-Baptiste is a solid pass-rusher who has a few moves he can win with, including a spin move or cross chop. He also has decent quickness to take advantage of tackles with bad feet. However, he shows some tightness in his lower half, which makes it difficult for him to bend and turn a tight corner." — Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.
JD Bertrand, LB
Best Guess:
Undrafted.
I know fans won't like reading that, but I think Bertrand's inability to run at the NFL Combine or Notre Dame's Pro Day is going to make him fall. He also plays a position that's no longer highlyvalued.
With that said, he's certainly a professional football player, whom I expect to be on an active roster next fall.
Draft Ceiling:
- Sixth round, No. 188 overall pick by the Houston Texans — The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer.
Draft Floor:
- Undrafted — The NFL Network's Chad Reuter.
Reid actually rates Bertrand as the No. 359 overall prospect on his Big Board, which means the draft would need to extend by more than 100 picks for the Fighting Irish linebacker to get selected.
Other Destinations:
- Sixth round, No. 200 overall pick by the Buffalo Bills —The 33rd Team.
- Sixth round, No. 206 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns — The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
- Seventh round, No. 239 overall by the New Orleans Saints — ESPN's Matt Miller.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
- No. 146 Overall prospect, No. 8 Off-Ball Linebacker by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Evaluation(s):
"Bertrand projects as either a late Day 3 pick or an undrafted free agent, but coaches think he will bring value to an NFL team. He's a two-time captain for Notre Dame whose overall performance at the school put him in the running for the Campbell Trophy and Wuerffel Trophy. Bertrand's all-around skills jumped out in 2023 as he led Notre Dame in tackles and finished second in quarterback hurries, pass breakups and tackles for loss." —ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.
Sam Hartman, QB
Best Guess:
I'd be a bit surprised if Sam Hartman gets drafted given his limited physical upside and the fact that he'll turn 25 this summer, making him more than four years old than other quarterbacks in this draft like UNC's Drake Maye.
Draft Ceiling:
- Sixth round, No. 213 overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams — The 33rd Team.
Draft Floor:
- Undrafted — The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer (as well as several others).
Other Mocked Destinations:
- Seventh round, No. 224 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals — The Athletic's Dan Brugler.
- Seventh round, No. 224 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals — ESPN's Jordan Reid.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Ranking:
- No. 16 quarterback by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Evaluation(s):
"Hartman is an experienced quarterback with some decent mobility, but overall, he lacks the arm strength to become a starter or preferred backup in the NFL." — PFF.
"When in a rhythm, Hartman demonstrates an impressive ability to put the ball in prime position for his receivers. But that talent will be mitigated at the next level by pedestrian arm strength, which will leave him little room for error. With a track record of spotty decision-making and erratic, turnover prone-play, Hartman is difficult to trust as a No. 2 option. If he finds a level of consistency, however, he could hang around thanks to his quick trigger, savvy and toughness." — USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz.
