The Way Too Early Starting Lineups for 2025

[stlnd01]

Black is higher regarded than all those guys coming out of HS Alt was a 3 star TE not even 260 lbs you are comparing Alt now to what those guys turned into

When it comes to being highly-regarded out of high school and how that translates for freshman OLs:

Black: #4 ranked OT/#27 overall .9828 rating on 247 Composite. 6-7, 295 coming out of a Connecticut prep school. June enrollee.
Lambert: #4 ranked OT/#46 overall. .9785 rating on 247 Composite. 6-6, 280 coming out of a Boston Catholic school. June enrollee.

The parallels are pretty striking.
Lambert barely saw the field this year, but is expected to push for a starting job going forward. Yes Black is ever so slightly higher rated than Lambert but I would he will be on a similar track, especially given the talent ahead of him. But, again, maybe he'll exceed that.

 

[IAIrish]

Will Black could very easily start right away at LT he’s the best we have had at that position in a very long time

Alt has been gone a year and was a top 5 pick. He didn't start right away and had an all-pro father tutoring him.

I'd love to see him develop down the stretch after he's had several months to adjust to the speed of leveling up and be used down the stretch as a bully tightend in short yardage, or when Denbrock knows he can break a defenses will by just hammering teams with what should be among the best oline next year.

 

[OhioIrish]

If the Miami game was today I've seen enough of Angeli to say he is the #1 QB. I am not fully taking out Carr.

Is Carr or Minchey ready for that environment?

The competition should be between Angeli and Carr, Minchey is the dark horse.

I think this is the right approach. We have great weapons coming back, just play the guy who can best distribute the rock and we role Miami. If Carr is the best man it will show up in the Fall. I’d prefer to keep Angeli around and lose Minchey to the portal (if we must lose one) — I’m sure he’s solid, but seems like dudes with his skillset and experience are replaceable.

 

[irishu]

Fellas, are we winning the natty with this team?

QB: Clausen
RB: Love
WR: Fuller
WR: Floyd
WR: Tate
TE: Eifert
LT: Alt
LG: Nelson
C: Martin
RG: Schrauth
RT: McGlinchey

DE: Tuitt
DE: Foskey
DT: Day
DT: Nix
LB: Teo
LB: Smith
NB: Clark
CB: Morrison
CB: Moore
S: Hamilton
S: Watts

 

[Irishdwarte]

Yes and it’s not even close.

 

[Rocketman84]

Fellas, are we winning the natty with this team?

QB: Clausen
RB: Love
WR: Fuller
WR: Floyd
WR: Tate
TE: Eifert
LT: Alt
LG: Nelson
C: Martin
RG: Schrauth
RT: McGlinchey

DE: Tuitt
DE: Foskey
DT: Day
DT: Nix
LB: Teo
LB: Smith
NB: Clark
CB: Morrison
CB: Moore
S: Hamilton
S: Watts

Hell, put Clausen on this team with a reliable deep threat (Fuller/Tate/Stovall) and a legit pass rusher (Tuitt/Foskey/Tuck) they win.

 

[allenm5333]

Fellas, are we winning the natty with this team?

QB: Clausen
RB: Love
WR: Fuller
WR: Floyd
WR: Tate
TE: Eifert
LT: Alt
LG: Nelson
C: Martin
RG: Schrauth
RT: McGlinchey

DE: Tuitt
DE: Foskey
DT: Day
DT: Nix
LB: Teo
LB: Smith
NB: Clark
CB: Morrison
CB: Moore
S: Hamilton
S: Watts

Yes…but okwara>foskey

 

[allenm5333]

Yes…but okwara>foskey

And for fun…hamilton at Nickel and Harrison at Safety

 

[irishff1014]

Fellas, are we winning the natty with this team?

QB: Clausen
RB: Love
WR: Fuller
WR: Floyd
WR: Tate
TE: Eifert
LT: Alt
LG: Nelson
C: Martin
RG: Schrauth
RT: McGlinchey

DE: Tuitt
DE: Foskey
DT: Day
DT: Nix
LB: Teo
LB: Smith
NB: Clark
CB: Morrison
CB: Moore
S: Hamilton
S: Watts

Nike doesn’t even have enough NIL money for that roster.

 

[Kingbish01]

Fellas, are we winning the natty with this team?

QB: Clausen
RB: Love
WR: Fuller
WR: Floyd
WR: Tate
TE: Eifert
LT: Alt
LG: Nelson
C: Martin
RG: Schrauth
RT: McGlinchey

DE: Tuitt
DE: Foskey
DT: Day
DT: Nix
LB: Teo
LB: Smith
NB: Clark
CB: Morrison
CB: Moore
S: Hamilton
S: Watts

This team beats 2019 LSU

 

[irishu]

Okay, now same scenario, but your coordinators are Van Gorder and Parker

Are we winning the natty?

 

[FU BK]

Okay, now same scenario, but your coordinators are Van Gorder and Parker

Are we winning the natty?

Ooof....just had to throw that little scenario in there huh?

 

[StPaul_Irish]

Fellas, are we winning the natty with this team?

QB: Clausen
RB: Love
WR: Fuller
WR: Floyd
WR: Tate
TE: Eifert
LT: Alt
LG: Nelson
C: Martin
RG: Schrauth
RT: McGlinchey

DE: Tuitt
DE: Foskey
DT: Day
DT: Nix
LB: Teo
LB: Smith
NB: Clark
CB: Morrison
CB: Moore
S: Hamilton
S: Watts

I'd like someone to do the all time worst starters team. Davie era and forward

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Okay, now same scenario, but your coordinators are Van Gorder and Parker

Are we winning the natty?

Parker shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence as Van Gorder. Parker had a statistically very good year on offense, Van Gorder squandered some incredible players and put together one of the most porous defenses in years where we could've contended for a title run.

Parker was an underwhelming hire who did fine despite his QB not playing as big time as we thought we could.

And I still think Van Gorder probably couldn't screw up that line-up. Yes, they are still winning the natty but some games probably get within 21 pts making everyone nervous.

 

[Irish du Nord]

I'd like someone to do the all time worst starters team. Davie era and forward

Tommy Rees playing all 22 positions while we lose to SBPD in a charity game

Honestly, I’d feel bad ragging on guys who started. A lot of the time the worst starters we’ve had were guys who were good but not ready to play yet. At the very least, most all of them were our best option to put on the field, which is most clear on the positions that rotate heavily.

 

[Rocketman84]

Yes…but okwara>foskey

Foskey topped Okwara's career in 2 seasons....naaa

 

[Rocketman84]

This team beats 2019 LSU

Absolutely

 

[Dale]

- Dawson 10th in PFF Rush Defense among qualified P5 DTs

- Rubio was 87th (out of 249th)

- Hinish 28th in PFF True Pass Rush Grade (Mills and Cross were both Top 20 FWIW)

- Onye was 10th - not qualified in snap count

Hughes also offers something as a potential pass rusher. Sevillano as a run stopper. Mukam is really only one I see potential as a complete player. But it is interesting, intentional or not that NDs DT room may be a better sum than its parts when you break it down. Dawson + Rubio will likely be better at stopping the run than Mills + Cross for example. If ND can dictate down and distance it can be a solid unit, but a balanced offensive attack could show the limitations.

Took/inspired by recent Hit and Hustle episode

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

- Dawson 10th in PFF Rush Defense among qualified P5 DTs

- Rubio was 87th (out of 249th)

- Hinish 28th in PFF True Pass Rush Grade (Mills and Cross were both Top 20 FWIW)

- Onye was 10th - not qualified in snap count

Hughes also offers something as a potential pass rusher. Sevillano as a run stopper. Mukam is really only one I see potential as a complete player. But it is interesting, intentional or not that NDs DT room may be a better sum than its parts when you break it down. Dawson + Rubio will likely be better at stopping the run than Mills + Cross for example. If ND can dictate down and distance it can be a solid unit, but a balanced offensive attack could show the limitations.

Took/inspired by recent Hit and Hustle episode

Couple your above points with the potential for really good, potentially elite DE play. With all of the injuries sustained last year, some of the guys getting snaps were injured or true freshmen. Very good DEs change everything for a defense. It's really remarkable we had such a good season without a single DE having more than 4 sacks! Seriously, that's almost unbelievable.

 

[NDFAN2008]

- Dawson 10th in PFF Rush Defense among qualified P5 DTs

- Rubio was 87th (out of 249th)

- Hinish 28th in PFF True Pass Rush Grade (Mills and Cross were both Top 20 FWIW)

- Onye was 10th - not qualified in snap count

Hughes also offers something as a potential pass rusher. Sevillano as a run stopper. Mukam is really only one I see potential as a complete player. But it is interesting, intentional or not that NDs DT room may be a better sum than its parts when you break it down. Dawson + Rubio will likely be better at stopping the run than Mills + Cross for example. If ND can dictate down and distance it can be a solid unit, but a balanced offensive attack could show the limitations.

Took/inspired by recent Hit and Hustle episode

They brought it up on one podcast don’t be surprised to see Young lined up inside on certain down situations to get him, Boubcar on the field at the same time.

 

[stlnd01]

They brought it up on one podcast don’t be surprised to see Young lined up inside on certain down situations to get him, Boubcar on the field at the same time.

Don’t Young (big end) and Traore (vyper) typically play on opposite sides of the line? I hope to see them on the field at the same time quite often.

 

[allenm5333]

Don’t Young (big end) and Traore (vyper) typically play on opposite sides of the line? I hope to see them on the field at the same time quite often.

Big end and vyper are the DEs. So yes. Young inside and the 3rd down pass rush package is what excites me

 

[irishu]

Which players on the 2025 roster will have the most moxie? I’m thinking…

Greathouse
Love
Shuler
Gray
A. Williams
Onye?

 

[Katzenboyer]

Fellas, are we winning the natty with this team?

QB: Clausen
RB: Love
WR: Fuller
WR: Floyd
WR: Tate
TE: Eifert
LT: Alt
LG: Nelson
C: Martin
RG: Schrauth
RT: McGlinchey

DE: Tuitt
DE: Foskey
DT: Day
DT: Nix
LB: Teo
LB: Smith
NB: Clark
CB: Morrison
CB: Moore
S: Hamilton
S: Watts

JOK deserves a spot on this list.

 

[Dale]

Which players on the 2025 roster will have the most moxie? I’m thinking…

Greathouse
Love
Shuler
Gray
A. Williams
Onye?

CJ Carr, Steve Angeli, Eli Raridon, Jack Larsen, Luke Talich, Kennedy Urclacher, Preston Zinter, Drayk Bowen, few others

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Which players on the 2025 roster will have the most moxie? I’m thinking…

Greathouse
Love
Shuler
Gray
A. Williams
Onye?

Define moxie?

Who were the moxie leaders of 2024? Just so we know what you want.

 

[irishu]

Define moxie?

Who were the moxie leaders of 2024? Just so we know what you want.

Leonard
Love
Greathouse (end of season)
Collins (thinking TAMU catch)
Coogan
Gray
Shuler

Essentially a player who just carries themselves with some swagger. Brings the energy and hype. Talks some shit (even better if they can back it up)

 

[MacIrish75]

Besides those listed, I would say Sneed and Botelho both fit your description.

 

[irishu]

Leonard
Love
Greathouse (end of season)
Collins (thinking TAMU catch)
Coogan
Gray
Shuler

Essentially a player who just carries themselves with some swagger. Brings the energy and hype. Talks some shit (even better if they can back it up)

I forgot to include Mills from last year. Punching a mf in the face is infinite moxie

 

[T-Boone]

Is Jayden Thomas coming back? I can’t recall if he is. I can’t even recall why I am asking.