Irish Breakdown

Irish in the NFL: Notre Dame Alumni Shine with Big Week 4 Performances

Several Notre Dame alumni in the NFL are having nice starts to the 2024 season, and a few new faces crack the list in Week 4

Nathan Erbach

Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) celebrates after a victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) celebrates after a victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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Notre Dame Players in the NFL: Week 4

Fighting Irish alumni are building momentum week after week as the 2024 NFL season unfolds. This comes as no surprise, as Notre Dame boasts one of the strongest alumni bases in the league. However, it’s still encouraging to see their continued success, serving as a valuable recruiting tool for the future.

Kyren Williams, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Brandon Aubrey have consistently made appearances on this list, and they’re back again this week, deserving recognition for their efforts.

Joining them for the first time are linebacker Drue Tranquill and safety Brandon Joseph, both of whom delivered impressive performances for their respective teams.

We also can’t overlook the offensive line play, as several former Notre Dame offensive linemen are leading their teams to dominant rushing performances while keeping their quarterbacks protected.

Brandon Aubrey, Kicker, Dallas Cowboys

The former Notre Dame soccer star continues to demonstrate why he should have been a kicker in college. Since last year—his rookie season—he has been one of the best kickers in the NFL.

It’s not just his consistency that stands out; he’s absolutely nails from 50+ yards. Ironically, he did miss his first-ever 50+ yard kick this past Thursday, but he also nailed a 60-yarder.

With performances like that, Aubrey will undoubtedly continue to make this list.

3 Former Irish Safeties with Big Days

Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith continues to perform as one of the best safeties in the NFL, even in his mid-30s. The (should be) future Hall of Famer is a key leader on one of the league's top defenses through four weeks.

Unfortunately, the Vikings suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, but Smith recorded four tackles and broke up one pass in a close matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton had a slow start in the first two weeks of the season, but he has made the list for the second consecutive week.

Over the weekend, he led the Ravens with seven tackles and also recovered a fumble. The former Notre Dame standout is heating up and getting back to his impressive form from 2023.

Detroit Lions safety Brandon Joseph wasn’t necessarily expected to make the roster when training camp concluded, but he fought hard for a spot on the 53-man roster.

His efforts didn’t stop there; Joseph earned his first NFL start on Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks. The former Irish safety recorded six tackles in a convincing win.

Offensive Line University Resides in South Bend

Another week of NFL action means another week where former Notre Dame offensive linemen shined. Everyone knows about Zack Martin and Quenton Nelson, and rookie Joe Alt was dominant through the first two weeks before being sidelined with an injury.

However, there are plenty other offensive linemen putting together quality seasons.

Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley has faced numerous injuries throughout his NFL career, but when healthy, he is undoubtedly one of the best tackles in the league.

This year, he’s healthy and currently leads the league in pass block win rate. On Sunday night, he also played a key role in helping Derrick Henry rush for 199 yards, contributing to the Ravens’ impressive 8 yards per carry.

San Francisco 49ers left guard Aaron Banks and Indianapolis Colts left guard have also played pivotal roles in their teams’ victories with strong rushing performances in Week 4. 49ers running back Jordan Mason averaged over 5 yards per carry, finishing with 123 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Meanwhile, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor totaled 88 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

Pair of Former Irish Linebackers With Dominant Games

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill had a standout performance in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, helping the Chiefs secure a narrow victory in a low-scoring game. Tranquill led the team with 10 tackles and added a tackle for loss.

Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah fills up the stat sheet weekly, and this past weekend was no different. He finished with 9 tackles and 1 tackle for loss in a losing effort.

All Kyren Williams Does is Score Touchdowns

The St. Louis Rams have only won one game this season, but that isn’t due to a lack of effort from Kyren Williams. The third-year running back has now scored in seven consecutive games. On Sunday, he recorded 104 yards (94 rushing, 10 receiving) and added another touchdown.

It was also his most efficient day on the ground, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Through four games this year, Williams has six touchdowns.

Kyren Williams Highlights

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Nathan Erbach
NATHAN ERBACH

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