Skip to main content
notre-dame logo

Two Notre Dame players receive NFL rookie minicamp invites

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•04/30/23•

tbhorka

justin ademilola notre dame
Notre Dame defensive end Justin Ademilola. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Justin Ademilola wasn’t ever a superstar along the Notre Dame defensive line. But he was always an integral part of it, and now he’s got a chance to help an NFL team in the same sort of way. Offensive lineman Josh Lugg was a Swiss army knife of sorts in his own right. He’s getting a shot to impress at the next level, too.

The Green Bay Packers invited Ademilola to their rookie minicamp. The Chicago Bears did the same with Lugg.

Notre Dame had three players picked in the draft; tight end Michael Mayer (Las Vegas Raiders, second round, No. 40 overall), defensive end Isaiah Foskey (second round, New Orleans Saints, No. 40 overall) and offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson (sixth round, No. 2021 overall, Houston Texans).

Ademilola and Lugg were two of a handful of Irish players who had fringe potential to hear their names called with one of the later picks in the draft.

It didn’t happen.

They’ll have to earn their way onto 53-man rosters in extremely difficult fashion. They haven’t ever been immune to hard work and rising up against a challenge, though.

Ademilola’s college career coincided with that of Foskey, Notre Dame’s all-time sacks leader. Playing time was at a premium for Ademilola with Foskey doing his thing. The two played the same position for the most part. Still, Ademilola logged 108 total tackles with 13.0 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks across five seasons at Notre Dame.

Ademilola ranked third on the Notre Dame roster in quarterback pressures in 2022 per Pro Football Focus. Foskey had 33. Ademilola’s twin brother, Jayson, had 25. Justin had 24. For the last couple seasons, Ademilola was one of Notre Dame’s most effective pass-rushers. It’s obviously going to be a bit more difficult to be as successful at the next level.

Lugg had to scratch and claw for playing time and starts in his Notre Dame career. With so many talented offensive linemen always on the Irish roster, nobody simply ends up in the starting five easily. Lugg redshirted in 2017. He played in all 13 games on special teams in 2018. He started five games in 2019. Then only three in 2020. In 2021, he started 12 games at right tackle. Last year, he started 13 at right tackle.

To quote a line from Andy Samberg‘s comedy Hot Rod, Lugg was bounced around more than a beachball at a Nickelback concert. He never gave into his constantly changing roles on the line. He always remained dedicated to himself and his university.

Ademilola and Lugg were not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. They had to do all of their pre-draft impressions at Notre Dame’s pro day in March. Ademilola checked in at 6-1 3/8 and 254 pounds. He bench pressed 225 pounds 22 times and ran a 4.95-second 40-yard dash. That would have tied for second-to-last among 28 defensive ends who ran at the combine. Foskey, for reference, recorded a combine time of 4.58 seconds. Georgia’s Nolan Smith led all defensive ends at the combine with his blistering 4.39-second 40.

The 6-4 7/8, 307-pound Lugg bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times. He had a 4.73-second 20-yard shuttle and a 7.68-second three-cone drill. Those numbers would have been mid-pack at the combine.

Ademilola doesn’t have favorable measurables. Lugg’s are average. It’s partly why they weren’t drafted. But they have a whole lot of heart. That only intensified in five (Ademilola) and six (Lugg) years with Notre Dame. It’ll translate to their minicamp appearances.

You may also like