'19 NJ DE Howard Cross (Notre Dame Signee)

[Irish4life]

 

[ab2cmiller]

I guess you would have to classify Cross as "has violent hands"

 

[NDFAN2008]

Is is still coming back next year?

 

[PutuporShutup]

Is is still coming back next year?

please

 

[T-Boone]

Louisville will need to focus on him and forget about Mills and Baptist

 

[Calabrese's People]

Huge praise from Jim Nagy.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Huge praise from Jim Nagy.

For all of us hoping he comes back for another year…

 

[Reaper97]

He has been great this year and had always shown promise in the past.

Was it him that got double teamed back ten yards during one of Duke's scoring drives though? I remember a late shift by the defensive line and watching our DT be taken for a ride. Thought it might be him. Pretty sure we still stuffed the run though.

Teams double-teaming Cross is an automatic win for ND.
Double teaming a DT is usually done because they are a huge load (like Mills). But Cross is a speed & technique DT, which is how he Beats 1v1’s.
If they double him, Mills and the LBs will have a field day.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Wasn't he strongly favoring Duke until ND offered him?

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Wasn't he strongly favoring Duke until ND offered him?

Yes, at least according to Duke analysts (multiple cb’s had been made.)

 

[Luckylucci]

Yea, that’s the kind of praise that makes him forgo his extra season of eligibility.

Could get interesting if we see more of this. If he puts that on tape against USC, I’ll write his insta/Twitter Notre Dame goodbye letter.

 

[CanadalovesND]

His draft stock is ascending. He should go. He’s not going to get any taller, his measurebales are always going to be below average. His best bet would be to capitalize on his great film now.

Using a sixth year and risking injury would be a poor decision.

 

[SDIrishFan]

As much as I love HCIII, I don’t see his game transitioning to the Pros. At least not enough to leave eligibility on the table.

He does lots of things well in college, obviously. But he’s not a huge space eater to play in the middle and doesn’t have edge skills. Where does that leave him? Maybe a late rounder and make a roster.

But with NIL, I’d think that would be a more enjoyable life than.

But I’ve been wrong many times, just ask my wife…

 

[Irish#1]

For all of us hoping he comes back for another year…

Would be huge. He’s playing like someone flipped his switch. He answered the questions about the interior from before the season started.

 

[CanadalovesND]

As much as I love HCIII, I don’t see his game transitioning to the Pros. At least not enough to leave eligibility on the table.

He does lots of things well in college, obviously. But he’s not a huge space eater to play in the middle and doesn’t have edge skills. Where does that leave him? Maybe a late rounder and make a roster.

But with NIL, I’d think that would be a more enjoyable life than.

But I’ve been wrong many times, just ask my wife…

He’s going to get dinged because of his size, but undersized defensive tackles still get drafted early. Not saying he’s in that same range, he’s likely in the middle. His film is great and grades are great.

 

[T-Boone]

Has he garnered praise from Irishdrunk? That would be huge.

 

[Reaper97]

One thing to remember is his father playing in the NFL.
That could be a factor either way.
He might tell him to go as soon as possible to get the money while still young & healthy, or he might tell him the NFL is only a 2-3 year average career (for most players) & he should stay at ND and enjoy it while taking NIL money.
I think he does what his father advises him.

 

[IAIrish]

ND's nil game better make it this interesting. Not in favor of trying to buy every recruit, but you back up the brinks truck for proven, productive dlinemen.

 

[NDMatt91]

ND's nil game better make it this interesting. Not in favor of trying to buy every recruit, but you back up the brinks truck for proven, productive dlinemen.

I think it's hypocritical for ND to view paying recruits as icky but be all in favor of dropping a bigger bag than Auburn and Florida for Sam Hartman. A few months ago, Mike Frank asked why ND didn't bring in Sam Hartman-type grad transfers at every position of need. And he's right. ND should go all in and be willing to buy the best (or one of the best) grad transfer at every position of need going forward. Clearly money isn't an issue if they're outbidding $EC schools for Hartman. They also better be willing to do whatever it takes to make it worth the while of players like Fisher and Cross to stay an extra year.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I think it's hypocritical for ND to view paying recruits as icky but be all in favor of dropping a bigger bag than Auburn and Florida for Sam Hartman. A few months ago, Mike Frank asked why ND didn't bring in Sam Hartman-type grad transfers at every position of need. And he's right. ND should go all in and be willing to buy the best (or one of the best) grad transfer at every position of need going forward. Clearly money isn't an issue if they're outbidding $EC schools for Hartman. They also better be willing to do whatever it takes to make it worth the while of players like Fisher and Cross to stay an extra year.

So it's hypocritical to not want to pay 18 year olds with zero production and each having a huge variance in adapting to college ball?

Maybe it's not hypocritical, and hear me out: maybe it's just a sound strategy? I mean I want the best talent in South Bend like most posters on here but I also realize the current high-bidder model for recruits isn't going to create a cohesive locker room situation. Personally, I really like the model ND has going. The players in the locker room know Hartman was likely swayed by the NIL opportunities at ND but he's proving he was worth 10x that. Meanwhile, every player on the roster is earning money and a free education for their commitment to the program. Our players aren't hurting but I also hope what we can offer continues to go up YOY.

Now imagine how that plays out with a freshman who isn't seeing the field. There are a billion hypotheticals but it always seems lazy to rip ND while telling them to spend more money.

 

[NDMatt91]

So it's hypocritical to not want to pay 18 year olds with zero production and each having a huge variance in adapting to college ball?

Maybe it's not hypocritical, and hear me out: maybe it's just a sound strategy? I mean I want the best talent in South Bend like most posters on here but I also realize the current high-bidder model for recruits isn't going to create a cohesive locker room situation. Personally, I really like the model ND has going. The players in the locker room know Hartman was likely swayed by the NIL opportunities at ND but he's proving he was worth 10x that. Meanwhile, every player on the roster is earning money and a free education for their commitment to the program. Our players aren't hurting but I also hope what we can offer continues to go up YOY.

Now imagine how that plays out with a freshman who isn't seeing the field. There are a billion hypotheticals but it always seems lazy to rip ND while telling them to spend more money.

I do think it's hypocritical, but if they're fine with dropping bags for grad transfers only then they need to put their money where their mouths are and go all in and get the best grad transfer (or one of the best) at every single position of need. Money apparently isn't a problem if they can outbid Auburn and Florida.

 

[Reaper97]

I do think it's hypocritical, but if they're fine with dropping bags for grad transfers only then they need to put their money where their mouths are and go all in and get the best grad transfer (or one of the best) at every single position of need. Money apparently isn't a problem if they can outbid Auburn and Florida.

I don’t think you understand how ND is doing it.
Schools like Auburn & Florida are writing him a straight money check.
ND is setting him up with others who can make him wealthy, immediately, of his his achievements.
There is a huge difference.
The starting QB at ND is worth millions to others. The starting RG isn’t.
What Sam makes is because he is Sam.
It’s the way it should be.
Sam earns his money.

 

[NDWarrior]

Earned 2nd team honors... Not bad:
Notre Dame Defensive Tackle Howard Cross III Earns Walter Camp All-American Honors

 

[arrowryan]

 

[Lberry]

Yuge

 

[T-Boone]

Good stuff

 

[KPENN]

 

[NDPhilly]

FUND putting in work

 

[NDFAN2008]

Huge will be one of the top DT next year need mills back

 

[Irish#1]

Excellent!