‘23 VA DL Armel Mukam (Notre Dame Signee)

[stlnd01]

Dude has only played what, 3,4 seasons of football? Wouldn't surprise me if it took him until his RS Junior or RS Senior year to finally break out.

This. Mukam was always a project. Go look at the first page of this thread when he committed out of the blue. We’re all like “um, ok.”

 

[NDMatt91]

Wouldn’t mind a guy like Dukes Aaron Hall or Pitts Sean’s Firzsimmons, even ECU’s Zion Wilson

Copeland and Hall don't have any eligibility left. With the Covid year going away, the grad transfer DT market is going to be extremely thin. The staff is going to have to convince admissions to let in 2-3 undergrads or they could be in rough shape at DT next year.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Copeland and Hall don't have any eligibility left. With the Covid year going away, the grad transfer DT market is going to be extremely thin. The staff is going to have to convince admissions to let in 2-3 undergrads or they could be in rough shape at DT next year.

Keon Kelly will be available probally but if hes not playing at Bama why would we want him

 

[NDMatt91]

Keon Kelly will be available probally but if hes not playing at Bama why would we want him

He's a bust at this point and isn't a DT, so he's an easy pass if he enters the portal.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Dude has only played what, 3,4 seasons of football? Wouldn't surprise me if it took him until his RS Junior or RS Senior year to finally break out.

This is true but what do you mean by break out?

You'd at least like to see he has some ability and just needs to learn the game/technique better. In his limited reps and blue gold game, to me he just doesn't show the movement or power you'd want to see for someone even with development to really ever contribute on a very good defense. That's not saying he can't improve, i just think his ceiling/potential is far too low.

Elijah Hughes is getting meaningful reps, if he can't beat him out even as a RS soph, I don't think he will ever have what it takes if we hit the portal like we need to. Mullins and hughes have clearly jumped him.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Highest grades DL against Pitt, would be nice to see him break into the main rotation

 

[CanadalovesND]

Damn. Down four DTs now.

 

[rikkitikki08]

You really have to think ND knows some guys they have locked up in the transfer portal to see all these guys leaving

 

[Dale]

Weirdly makes me more confident in the DT room via transfers because clearly he wasn’t expecting to be counted on then

 

[CoachB]

I know it might be unpopular, but I can't help but think Ash being an A** might play a part. Guys were not happy with him early. He has a reputation for being a jerk. Guys weren't leaving playing for Golden. Just saying. May be pure speculation, but I have long suspected he might harm the chemistry we had with Al, who was a great human being.

 

[NDPhilly]

He didn’t take the jump I expected this year. Best of luck to him.

He probably asked if he has a chance to start and they said unlikely.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Freeman said fix my interior d-line or I’m off to New York.

 

[IrishTusker]

I know it might be unpopular, but I can't help but think Ash being an A** might play a part. Guys were not happy with him early. He has a reputation for being a jerk. Guys weren't leaving playing for Golden. Just saying. May be pure speculation, but I have long suspected he might harm the chemistry we had with Al, who was a great human being.

Would a different DC have had the defense in a better place to start the season? Because the defense we got early is on the long list of things that more-or-less wrecked the season.

 

[CanadalovesND]

If ND was going to be aggressive bringing in experienced, productive DTs, Mukam was likely again going to be a reserve, outside the two-deep. That's rough for any player if they are entering Year 4.

 

[Dale]

I know it might be unpopular, but I can't help but think Ash being an A** might play a part. Guys were not happy with him early. He has a reputation for being a jerk. Guys weren't leaving playing for Golden. Just saying. May be pure speculation, but I have long suspected he might harm the chemistry we had with Al, who was a great human being.

Gobaira? Urlacher? Mickey? Osafo-Mensah? Lewis? Aiden K?

 

[Irishdawg]

Freeman said fix my interior d-line or I’m off to New York.

Glad your listening devices are working 😉

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I know it might be unpopular, but I can't help but think Ash being an A** might play a part. Guys were not happy with him early. He has a reputation for being a jerk. Guys weren't leaving playing for Golden. Just saying. May be pure speculation, but I have long suspected he might harm the chemistry we had with Al, who was a great human being.

Mike Martin is more likely the one changing things the most than Ash. But he is doing it the right way (unfortunately). If a Mukem isn't worth the money and you have to bring in others then you simply can't just keep writing blank checks for 100 kids

 

[IrishInOntario]

Damn, I thought Armel might be one of the guys that made the jump into the top 4 this year. That leaves Sevillano, Burgess, Mullins, Dixon and Golden on my list of those that could battle for that #4 spot.

ND is going to be spending some serious cash for a pair of DTs at this rate.

 

[EvilleIrish]

Everybody strapped in?

 

[Dale]

Everybody strapped in?

Oh no not our 7th best DT 🙀🙀🙀

 

[IRISHbluehen]

Everybody strapped in?

I can't tell if youre playing into the bit now or youre still just a doomer

 

[Crazy Balki]

I'd say the portal guys are part of the equation, but I wouldn't rule out a guy like Mullins or Sevillano. Seemed like Mullins was already ahead of Mukam, despite being a year behind him.

Pretty clear indication that between transfers and guys behind him jumping him that he didn't have a path into the rotation this year. Disappointing because it sounded like he was on track to be a good rotational guy based on what he was doing in practice, but it never translated.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Everybody strapped in?

Let’s ride, brother!

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Glad your listening devices are working 😉

The suggestion box I posted outside his gate seems to be paying off

 

[Dale]

Well since the thread was bumped anyway, holy smokes is he a large human being

Thanks was gonna post the picture but wouldn’t let me

We’ll always have his Koon squad photo

 

[CanadalovesND]

This may actually be a money issue...

From Trevor Trowbridge (new-ish dude on IB), apparently other teams were willing to pay more for him than ND, and ND did not want to match.

 

[Irishdawg]

The suggestion box I posted outside his gate seems to be paying off

Ha, glad he saw my NO NFL note

 

[Dale]

This may actually be a money issue...

From Trevor Trowbridge (new-ish dude on IB), apparently other teams were willing to pay more for him than ND, and ND did not want to match.

Wouldn’t describe that as a money issue. You can always find a team more desperate. Doesn’t make it an issue, makes it a decision.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

I can't tell if youre playing into the bit now or youre still just a douche.

FIFY

 

[CanadalovesND]

Wouldn’t describe that as a money issue. You can always find a team more desperate. Doesn’t make it an issue, makes it a decision.

You are correct, it was a mutual financial decision from both parties. Another team is willing to bet on his potential more than what ND has seen or believe what they have in Mukam.