Counting Down the Irish: 10 to 6

Moving forward, every player received unanimous support across the 13 ballots, making for 11 such players total (the top 10 along with No. 14 Daelin Hayes). Nine Notre Dame players received votes to be considered among 2019’s five most-impactful players, including all of the top 8 (along with No. 11 Jafar Armstrong).

Sorting through those groupings and the points allotted reveals delineations of a top 7 and a top 3. What is intriguing about that breakdown is each tier tilts decisively toward the defense. The Irish are expected to have a prolific offense this season with major defensive questions, yet only two offensive players break the top 7. Maybe, just maybe, the high-end defensive talent…