Depth Impact: Chris Smith Solidifies Notre Dame Defensive Line Rotation

Landing Harvard transfer Chris Smith will have a positive impact on the Notre Dame defensive line

Notre Dame picked up a grad transfer today when former Harvard defensive tackle Chris Smith committed to the Fighting Irish. Smith had originally committed to Minnesota back in January, but he will now finish out his career playing for Al Washington and Notre Dame.

One way or another, adding Smith to the depth chart will likely have a positive impact on the roster.

WHAT SMITH ADDS

Smith adds a bit more beef inside for a defensive line depth chart that has very little of that. Currently, Notre Dame has just one healthy interior lineman that weighs more than 290 pounds, and that would be rising sophomore Gabriel Rubio, who has yet to play a college snap. Smith isn't a naturally big player but he is currently listed at 6-2 and 293 pounds, and he filled out his frame well during his senior season.

He's not a mauler and has a game that is a bit of a mixture of Jacob Lacey and Howard Cross III. Smith can battle inside, but he's at his best when he's allowed to use his quickness off the ball to attack a gap and penetrate. He'll need to do a better job working his feet through contact when asked to anchor, but Smith shows the burst off the line and hand quickness/strength needed to be a disruptive player in spurts up the middle.

Smith registered five sacks and 3.5 sacks this season to go with two forced fumbles and three quarterback hurries. Smith flashed more disruptive on film than that, and Pro Football Focus credited him with 18 quarterback pressures (sacks + hits + hurries) on 233 snaps over 10 games. Among those pressure he had three sacks and three hits on the quarterback.

For comparison's sake, last season's nose tackles - Howard Cross III and Kurt Hinish - combined for 23 quarterback pressures with a combined six sacks + hits on 399 combined snaps in 13 games.

INTERIOR DEPTH IMPACT

Landing Smith helps solidify the interior of the defensive line. It gives Notre Dame a player whose skillset fits the defense and it gives Notre Dame a very experienced player (he's played in 29 out of 30 games during his career) that can play both the nose and three-technique positions.

Smith has the tools to earn immediate playing time, and if he's better than the players on the roster, or at least good enough to eat away at their snaps that makes the depth chart better. It means there's one more good player in the mix which takes the snaps burden off the players that will be in the rotation.

The fact that Smith has the tools to play at both interior spots also helps the defensive line.

If Smith is unable to crack the rotation that means Notre Dame's interior line is going to be outstanding. It likely means that Lacey stays healthy and it also likely means that some of Notre Dame's talented younger players have proven themselves ready to contribute.

If that's the case Notre Dame's interior defensive line will still be really good. As long as Smith has to earn his playing time, which was a complaint I had about the right guard position last season, there is no downside to this addition in my view. With the injury to Keanaaina, Notre Dame needed another interior defender that could play, and Smith gives them that.

The addition of Smith should also allow the Notre Dame coaches to stop rotating Rylie Mills inside as much, if at all. Mills had his best game of the 2021 season playing big end and according to our sources he's had his best moments of the 2022 spring outside. Being able to use Mills outside on a more regular basis, without losing anything inside, is also something that makes the defensive line better.

With standout defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola coming back from a shoulder injury and with Lacey's injury history the last two years, Smith also gives protection against an injury dragging down the line.

TIME FOR YOUNGER PLAYERS

I am all for playing young players if they are ready. With Notre Dame's current numbers there was a chance that some of the younger players would have been forced onto the field whether they are ready or not. Landing Smith means you don't have to rush them. If players like Jason Onye, Gabriel Rubio or even Tyson Ford are ready to help the team this year then play them, obviously. If they need a bit more seasoning the addition of Smith allows Notre Dame to keep letting them develop without the pressure of them going into games they aren't ready to play in.

All in all, this is a low risk move that has a chance to make the Notre Dame defensive line better, which at the end of the day makes this a very positive addition for the Irish.

Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge

Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Offense
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Defense

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense

———————

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.

BECOME A MEMBER

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter