'16 TN CB Donte Vaughn (Notre Dame Signed NLI)

[IrishLax]

Would you rather have one of the 3* true freshman playing next year or a 5th year veteran playing as a depth guy? Seems like a very obvious choice to me.

DB (15 Scholarships)
RS SR Alohi Gilman (likely leaving)
RS SR Shaun Crawford (likely leaving)
RS SR Donte Vaughn
RS JR Isaiah Pryor (guessing he’s coming)
JR Houston Griffith
JR Tariq Bracy
RS SO DJ Brown
SO Kyle Hamilton
RS FR KJ Wallace
RS FR Isaiah Rutherford
RS FR Cam Hart
RS FR Litchfield Ajavon
FR Caleb Offord
FR Landen Bartleson
FR Clarence Lewis

Crawford and Gilman are very likely to leave according to II. Isaiah Pryor is bringing his whole family right back to the next home game and I think he’s almost a shoe-in to come to ND. As far as CB goes you probably have...

RS SR Donte Vaughn
JR Tariq Bracy
RS FR KJ Wallace
RS FR Isaiah Rutherford
RS FR Cam Hart
FR Caleb Offord
FR Landen Bartleson
FR Clarence Lewis

I’d guess one of those freshman ends up at safety but for now I put them at CB. After Bracy it’s gonna be a lot of first and second year players so I’d obviously much rather see Donte Vaughn in there for insurance purposes next season. ND doesn’t have any Kyle Hamilton’s coming in right now so it’s important to have impact depth at CB. I’d prefer to see Donte for next season than a push to a NY6 bowl this season. If someone goes down with a season-ending injury in 2019 then that changes everything but ND needs depth at DB which they’ve been lacking this year big time.

Especially with Griffith moving back to safety after a failed experiment at getting him to be a viable corner this offseason, the depth chart is non-existent at that position.

Next year you're going to have one proven player in Bracy, and that's it. No one else will have gotten any meaningful reps. Safety is going to be fine because you'll have Pryor, Griffith, and Hamilton... and in nickel you will almost certainly see one of those guys play as the 5th DB.

But at minimum... one guy is going to have to show up ready to play out of nowhere, and on top of that ND better pray they have no injuries. The real tragedy is that they burned Vaughn's redshirt in the disastrous '16 season and then he also played in '17/'18. He is absolutely needed this year, so you can't really redshirt him without hurting the team's chances on the field. But you can make a strong argument that he needed to be redshirted one of his first three years while playing minimal snaps.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Dude sure should have redshirted last year considering he had a torn labrum, but that's in the past.

The depth for next year is very troubling, that's why I was hoping Crawford would come back for a 6th year. Maybe the staff can flip somebody late who could add even more depth? But as it looks now, Bracy, KJ Wallace, and Rutherford being the front line leaves no room for error/injuries. Vaughn is very much needed next year.

 

[NDMIA]

Dude sure should have redshirted last year considering he had a torn labrum, but that's in the past.

The depth for next year is very troubling, that's why I was hoping Crawford would come back for a 6th year. Maybe the staff can flip somebody late who could add even more depth? But as it looks now, Bracy, KJ Wallace, and Rutherford being the front line leaves no room for error/injuries. Vaughn is very much needed next year.

Another reason why ND should be able to flip an impact prospect before signing day. Hopefully an 11-1 or 10-2 football team can convince a big time 4* that they’d be probably in the two deep as soon as they walk onto campus next year if Donte Vaughn doesn’t come back. Most players jump at the opportunity for early playing time. Especially for a top ten program right now in college football.

 

[Irish#1]

Wouldn't be surprised to get someone via the portal.

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[NDIrish88]

If darnay Holmes enters look out

 

[T-Boone]

I think one of either Crawford or DV will be back.

 

[stpeteirish]

With our lack of corners next year Houston Griffith's inability to stay at corner is vexing. He's our highest rated CB recruit, and he apparently isn't a corner.

 

[IrishLax]

With our lack of corners next year Houston Griffith's inability to stay at corner is vexing. He's our highest rated CB recruit, and he apparently isn't a corner.

To be fair, he was recruited as a safety and many thought he was a natural safety not corner. The bigger issue appears to be the lack of recruiting in what are the current soph and junior classes resulting in a lack of experience on the roster.

 

[ulukinatme]

I think one of either Crawford or DV will be back.

I'd love to have Crawford back, he's so disruptive when he's healthy, but he's already said that he's not pursuing football after this season, whether he had a chance at the NFL or a 6th year.

 

[T-Boone]

I'd love to have Crawford back, he's so disruptive when he's healthy, but he's already said that he's not pursuing football after this season, whether he had a chance at the NFL or a 6th year.

I think he changes his mind.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I wonder when Kendall Abdur-Rahman gets a chance?

 

[BobbyMac]

With our lack of corners next year Houston Griffith's inability to stay at corner is vexing. He's our highest rated CB recruit, and he apparently isn't a corner.

He didn't play CB in HS (at least his Sr year). The CB spot at IMG went to another guy ND should've signed, Northwestern's Greg Newsome.

 

[Irishize]

I think he changes his mind.

Doesn’t he have four torn ligaments in that dislocated elbow? Kid has already had three major surgeries w/ one in his immediate future. He can still tackle better than Vaughn...which is mind-blowing considering their size difference.

 

[T-Boone]

I wonder when Kendall Abdur-Rahman gets a chance?

Isnt he a WR/RB?

 

[T-Boone]

Doesn’t he have four torn ligaments in that dislocated elbow? Kid has already had three major surgeries w/ one in his immediate future. He can still tackle better than Vaughn...which is mind-blowing considering their size difference.

Yeah, just get over it kid. Haha.

 

[stlnd01]

Isnt he a WR/RB?

Yes. But that can change.

 

[NDohio]

I'd love to have Crawford back, he's so disruptive when he's healthy, but he's already said that he's not pursuing football after this season, whether he had a chance at the NFL or a 6th year.

Listened to an interview of him on a podcast (Stronger Scars with Bailey Cartwright). The interview was all about dealing with, and coming back from ,injuries. In part of the conversation they were talking about continuing to play after so many injuries. SC stated that he doesn't understand how some one could stop playing if they a) were still able to play and b) still had eligibility. I know he stated earlier that he wouldn't come back for a sixth year, but that statement gives me hope.

 

[Irishize]

Listened to an interview of him on a podcast (Stronger Scars with Bailey Cartwright). The interview was all about dealing with, and coming back from ,injuries. In part of the conversation they were talking about continuing to play after so many injuries. SC stated that he doesn't understand how some one could stop playing if they a) were still able to play and b) still had eligibility. I know he stated earlier that he wouldn't come back for a sixth year, but that statement gives me hope.

Interesting. As far as immediate concerns, it doesn’t sound like he will start or see his usual action in his first game back. It was noted that BK spoke more positively about Jafar’s availability in the SC game than SC in this Saturday’s game. As we know, Jafar didn’t see much action.

At full strength, Crawford would be a huge bonus this Saturday...especially w/ his tackling on those perimeter throws that Patterson had so much success with vs PSU. With an injured elbow, his tackling may be affected more than anything.

 

[NDIrish88]

He was listed as a starter on the depth chart. Is he officially leaving?

 

[stlnd01]

He was listed as a starter on the depth chart. Is he officially leaving?

After the season, you mean, not, like, today, right?
Yes he played - I think started - on Saturday. I believe he’s at four games now, which makes an interesting decision re: next year. Myself I hope they redshirt him from here. Very nervous about corner next year and it’d be nice to have Vaughn back.

 

[dublinirish]

After the season, you mean, not, like, today, right?
Yes he played - I think started - on Saturday. I believe he’s at four games now, which makes an interesting decision re: next year. Myself I hope they redshirt him from here. Very nervous about corner next year and it’d be nice to have Vaughn back.

he played pretty bad, TBH i'd rather see the back of him

 

[stlnd01]

he played pretty bad, TBH i'd rather see the back of him

How bad could be have played. They only threw the ball like ten times.

 

[Legacy]

Signed to Chargers practice squad

 

[Irish du Nord]