Notre Dame in the NFL: Harrison Smith calls game vs. Panthers
Former Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith did something no one has done in NFL history this week for the Minnesota Vikings.
Smith totaled 3 sacks, a forced fumble and 14 tackles in a 21-13 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. According to Vikings fan and writer Janik Eckardt, is the first player to reach those totals in those three stats.
One of Smith’s sacks sealed the game for the Vikings. He came screaming around the edge against the Panthers’ right tackle and took down Panthers quarterback Bryce Young on fourth-and-goal with less than a minute to go.
At 34 years old and in his 12th NFL season, the former All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler is still going strong for the Vikings, who won their first game of the season in Charlotte, N.C. Smith has 28 tackles — half of which came in Week 4 — this season.
Here’s how every other former Notre Dame player in the NFL did this week.
Brandon Aubrey (played for Notre Dame from 2013-16), K, Dallas Cowboys
Result: 38-3 win over Patriots
Aubrey made all 3 of his field goal attempts, remaining perfect this season at 13/13.
Aaron Banks (2017-20), OL, San Francisco 49ers
Result: 35-16 win over Cardinals
Banks played his highest-graded game this season (per Pro Football Focus), bouncing back from a rough Week 3. He allowed zero pressures and put up an 85.5 pass-blocking grade.
Miles Boykin (2015-18), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Result: 30-6 loss to Texans
Boykin played 6 offensive snaps and was not targeted.
Chase Claypool (2016-19), WR, Chicago Bears
Result: 31-28 loss to Broncos
Claypool was made inactive for Week 4 and told to stay home and away from the team. He was told to do the same this week and will not play Thursday night against the Commanders.
Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Detroit Lions
Result: 34-20 win over Packers
Daly snapped successfully 11 times, 4 on punts and 7 on field goals.
Liam Eichenberg (2016-20), OL, Miami Dolphins
Result: 48-20 loss to Bills
Eichenberg made his first start of the season. He allowed 5 pressures, including 2 sacks, turning in a pass-blocking grade of 4.2 and an overall grade of 28.7.
Isaiah Foskey (2019-22), DE, New Orleans Saints
Result: 26-9 loss to Buccaneers
Foskey played 10 snaps, making 3 tackles and 1 defensive stop. PFF liked him this week, grading him at 80.5 overall.
Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers
Result: 24-17 win over Raiders
Gilman missed Week 4 with a heel injury. He was not placed on injured reserve and could return in Week 5.
Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints
Result: 26-9 loss to Buccaneers
Grupe made all 3 of his field goals. He’s at 9/10 this season. Former Notre Dame athletes at kicker (phrased that way because Aubrey played soccer in South Bend) are a combined 22/23 this year.
Robert Hainsey (2017-20), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Result: 26-9 win over Saints
Hainsey had his best game of the season. He did not allow a pressure and earned a 77.7 run-blocking grade.
Kyle Hamilton (2019-2021), S, Baltimore Ravens
Result: 28-3 win over Browns
Hamilton made 5 tackles and defended a pass. He’s up to 17 tackles this season.
Kurt Hinish (2017-21), DT, Houston Texans
Result: 30-6 win over Steelers
Hinish played 30 snaps, totaling 3 quarterback hurries.
J.J. Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers
Result: 21-13 loss to Vikings
Jansen snapped successfully 8 times, 5 on punts and 3 on field goals. He’s also the subject of this fun bit by Panthers.com beat writer Darin Gantt.
Tony Jones Jr. (2016-19), RB, New Orleans Saints
Result: 26-9 loss to Saints
Jones played but did not receive a carry.
Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears
Result: 31-28 loss to Broncos
Kmet finally had the game Bears fans have been hoping for. He caught 7 passes for 85 yards and scored his first 2 touchdowns this season. He’s at 18 catches for 189 yards so far in Year 4.
Julian Love (2015-18), DB, Seattle Seahawks
Result: 24-3 win over Giants
Love made 10 tackles, giving him 27 this season. The former Notre Dame defensive back faced his old team for the first time and helped blow the Giants out.
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Zack Martin (2009-13), OL, Dallas Cowboys
Result: 38-3 win over Patriots
In his return from injury, Martin allowed 2 pressures and totaled a 58.1 grade. He’s at 78.5 this season.
Michael Mayer (2020-22), TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Result: 24-17 loss to Chargers
Mayer was not targeted.
Nick McCloud (2020), CB, New York Giants
Result: 24-3 loss to Seahawks
McCloud recovered his own team’s muffed punt. He did not record a stat on defense.
Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OL, Denver Broncos
Result: 31-28 win over Bears
McGlinchey had his second-straight quality pass blocking effort, allowing no pressures and finishing with an 82.1 pass-blocking grade.
Sam Mustipher (2014-18), OL, Baltimore Ravens
Result: 28-3 win over Browns
Mustipher played 3 snaps, allowing no pressures.
Quenton Nelson (2014-17), OL, Indianapolis Colts
Result: 29-23 OT loss to Rams
Nelson allowed two pressures but finished with a 78.5 run-blocking grade.
Romeo Okwara (2012-15), DL, Detroit Lions
Result: 34-20 win over Packers
Okwara played 8 snaps, recording 1 quarterback hurry. He has 4 in 3 games of limited action this year.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2017-20), LB, Cleveland Browns
Result: 28-3 loss to Browns
Owusu-Koramoah made a career-high 8 tackles, including 2 tackles for loss. He also picked up his first quarterback hurry of the season.
Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), OL, Houston Texans
Result: 30-6 win over Steelers
Patterson allowed 1 pressure but earned a 77.1 pass-blocking grade
Isaac Rochell (2013-16), DE, Las Vegas Raiders
Result: 24-17 loss to Chargers
Rochell played 18 snaps, recording his first 2 QB hurries of the year. He also made 2 tackles.
Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Los Angeles Rams
Result: 29-23 win over Colts
Skowronek played but was not targeted.
Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Miami Dolphins
Result: 48-20 loss to Bills
Smythe caught a season-high 4 passes for 41 yards this week, giving him 11 for 123 this year.
Equanimeous St. Brown (2015-17), WR, Chicago Bears
Result: 31-28 loss to Broncos
Active for the first time this season in place of Claypool, St. Brown caught his lone target for 21 yards. The catch was incredible, though.
Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens
Result: 28-3 loss to Browns
Stanley remains out with an ankle injury. He has not played since Week 1, but he has not been placed on IR either.
Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DL, Las Vegas Raiders
Result: 24-17 loss to Raiders
Tillery was ejected after making a late, dirty hit on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
Tillery was on the Chargers last year. His former teammates’ reaction (yes, they were defending their quarterback, but that is a lot of players swarming him, even for that) says a lot.
Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs
Result: 23-20 win over Jets
Tranquill made a season-high 7 tackles, picked up a quarterback hit and forced a fumble.
Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers
Result: 21-13 loss to Vikings
Tremble played a season-high 31 snaps, mostly as a run-blocker. He was not targeted.
Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams
Result: 29-23 OT win over Colts
Williams had his best week in a touchdown-heavy season. He carried a season-high 25 times, totaling 103 yards and scoring 2 3-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Williams is at 64 carries for 245 yards (3.8 yards per carry) and 6 total touchdowns in 2023.
Brock Wright (2017-20), TE, Detroit Lions
Result: 34-20 win over Packers
Wright made his first start of the season. He played 44 snaps, mostly as a run blocker and was not targeted.
