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Notre Dame in the NFL: Cam Hart puts on coverage clinic for Chargers

IMG_7504by:Jack Soble•11/12/24•

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Cam Hart
Former Notre Dame and current Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Cam Hart. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)

Back in Week 6, former Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart stepped into the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Chargers. The NFL’s top scoring defense didn’t miss a beat.

Hart, a fifth-round rookie, has impressed his new coaching staff in his five games as a starter. In Week 10, he was targeted 9 times and allowed 5 receptions for 41 yards (4.6 yards per attempt). He also broke up a pass. The Chargers beat the Tennessee Titans 27-17, improving to 6-3 and 4-1 since Hart’s snap count began to increase.

That coaching staff includes former Irish safeties coach Chris O’Leary, who holds the same role in Los Angeles.

Aside from quarterback, cornerback may be the most difficult position to play as a rookie. Hart stepped in for a team with playoff aspirations and done his job more than well enough.

Here’s how every other former Notre Dame athlete in the NFL did this week.

Joe Alt (played at Notre Dame from 2021-23), OL, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 27-17 win over Titans

Alt allowed 1 quarterback pressure and earned a 78.5 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Brandon Aubrey (2013-16), K, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 34-6 loss to Eagles

Aubrey made both his field-goal attempts with a long of 46.

Kevin Austin Jr. (2018-21), WR, New Orleans Saints

Result: 20-17 win over Falcons

Austin made his season debut after being called up from the Saints’ practice squad, catching 2 passes for 36 yards.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), OL, San Francisco 49ers

Result: 23-20 win over Buccaneers

Banks allowed 1 quarterback pressure and earned a 70.2 PFF pass-blocking grade. So far, per PFF, this has been Banks’ best season.

JD Bertrand (2019-23), LB, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 20-17 loss to Saints

Bertrand remains out with a concussion.

Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-3 loss to Patriots

Daly snapped 9 times successfully, 8 on punts and 1 on a field goal. He also made an assisted tackle.

Sheldon Day (2012-15), DT, Washington Commanders

Result: 28-27 win over Steelers

Day made 8 tackles, including 5 defensive stops and a tackle for loss. He also picked up a QB pressure and earned an 89.9 PFF defense grade.

Liam Eichenberg (2016-20), OL, Miami Dolphins

Result: 23-15 win over Rams

Eichenberg allowed 2 pressures but finished with a 34.6 PFF offense grade.

Audric Estimé (2021-23), RB, Denver Broncos

Result: 16-14 loss to Chiefs

Estimé earned his highest workload of his career by far, carrying 14 times for 53 yards (3.8 yards per attempt).

Blake Fisher (2021-23), OT, Houston Texans

Result: 26-23 loss to Lions

Fisher played 2 offensive snaps, but he allowed QB pressures on both of them.

Isaiah Foskey (2019-22), DE, New Orleans Saints

Result: 20-17 win over Falcons

Foskey played 19 snaps on special teams.

Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 19-3 loss to Patriots

Gilman made 3 tackles.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints

Result: 20-17 win over Falcons

Grupe made both his field-goal attempts with a long of 38.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: 23-20 loss to 49ers

Hainsey played 4 snaps on special teams.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 35-34 win over Bengals

Hamilton made 4 tackles, but he also defended 2 passes and earned an 88.0 PFF defense grade.

Thomas Harper (2023), DB, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: BYE

Kurt Hinish (2017-21), DT, Houston Texans

Result: 26-23 loss to Lions

Hinish made 1 tackle.

J.J. Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: 20-17 OT win over Giants

Jansen snapped 11 times successfully, 7 on punts and 4 on field goals.

Brandon Joseph (2022), S, Detroit Lions

Result: 26-23 win over Texans

Joseph played 11 snaps on special teams.

Khalid Kareem (2016-19), DE, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 20-17 loss to Saints

Making his season debut after being called up from the practice squad, Kareem made 2 tackles — both of which were defensive stops — in 9 snaps.

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Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-3 loss to Patriots

Kmet caught 2 passes on 4 targets for 13 yards.

Marist Liufau (2019-23), LB, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 34-6 loss to Eagles

Liufau made 5 tackles and picked up a quarterback pressure. He also recovered a fumble.

Julian Love (2016-18), DB, Seattle Seahawks

Result: BYE

Zack Martin (2009-13), OL, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 34-6 loss to Eagles

Martin allowed a sack, his fourth of the season, and an additional pressure. He did finish with a 71.7 PFF run-blocking grade, though.

Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OL, Denver Broncos

Result: 16-14 loss to Chiefs

McGlinchey allowed 1 pressure but posted a 59.6 PFF offense grade.

Sam Mustipher (2014-18), OL, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 19-3 loss to Patriots

Mustipher played 1 offensive snap and 5 on special teams.

Quenton Nelson (2014-17), OL, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 30-20 loss to Bills

Nelson allowed zero pressures for the fifth time in 10 games this season. He earned an 80.3 PFF pass-blocking grade, and he’s well on his way to a seventh-straight Pro Bowl season.

Julian Okwara (2016-19), EDGE, Arizona Cardinals

Result: 31-6 win over Jets

Okwara was a healthy scratch.

Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), OL, Houston Texans

Result: 26-23 loss to Lions

Patterson made his second start of the season at center, allowing 2 pressures including a sack. He finished with a 59.6 PFF offense grade.

Spencer Shrader (2023), K, New York Jets

Result: 31-6 loss to Cardinals

There is a third Notre Dame kicker in the NFL. Shrader made his first pro field goal with the Jets after being called up from the practice squad last week, drilling both his attempts with a long of 45.

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: 28-27 win over Commanders

Skowronek played 6 offensive snaps after being called up from the practice squad. He also recovered a muffed punt in his Steelers debut.

Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 12-7 win over Jaguars

Smith made 1 tackle and added a QB pressure.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Miami Dolphins

Result: 23-15 win over Rams

Smythe caught 1 pass for 6 yards.

Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OL, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 35-34 win over Bengals

Stanley allowed a season-high 6 pressures, posting a 64.6 PFF offense grade.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DL, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 12-7 win over Jaguars

Tillery made 1 tackle.

Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 16-14 win over Broncos

Tranquill made 5 tackles, including 3 defensive stops and a tackle for loss. He also registered a quarterback hit.

Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: 20-17 OT win over Giants

Tremble suffered a back injury and missed Week 10.

Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams

Result: 23-15 loss to Dolphins

Williams carried 15 times for 62 yards. He also caught 5 passes for 20 yards.

Brock Wright (2017-20), TE, Detroit Lions

Result: 26-23 win over Texans

Wright was not targeted.

Former Notre Dame football players on injured reserve

Former Notre Dame football players on the reserve/non-football illness list

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

The Giants cut McCloud last week, and the 49ers signed him to their practice squad Monday.

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