New kids on the block: How each Notre Dame rookie fared in their first NFL season

Notre Dame’s 2021 team was very young due in large part to a blockbuster 2021 NFL Draft class. In total, the Irish had nine players drafted last spring and an additional three players signed as undrafted free agents following the draft.

How did they fare in their first year?

Atlanta Falcons LB Ade Ogundeji

Ogundeji was a fifth-round steal for the Falcons, as he ended up starting in 11 games in his inaugural season. The former Irish defensive lineman moved to linebacker and totaled 32 tackles, a sack, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.

Baltimore Ravens LB Daelin Hayes

Injuries plagued Hayes in his first season in Baltimore. The fifth-round NFL Draft selection suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 after being inactive for the first two weeks. He was subsequently placed on Injured Reserve, and he was put back on the list a second time in January. Hayes did not record any stats in 2021.

Buffalo Bills CB Nick McCloud

McCloud had a rollercoaster rookie season. He signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent in May and was waived during August’s final roster cuts. The former Irish graduate transfer was picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals the following day, and played 14 defensive snaps and 10 special teams snaps. The Bengals waived him on Nov. 4. On Nov. 8, he re-signed with the Bills practice squad. McCloud signed a reserve/future contract in Buffalo on Jan. 24.

Carolina Panthers TE Tommy Tremble

The highlight of Tremble’s first NFL season came on Sept. 23 against the Houston Texans when he became the youngest tight end in NFL history to score a rushing touchdown. He was just 21 years and 113 days old. The previous record was held by tight end and future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski. Overall, Tremble had a solid first season as the Panthers No. 1 TE, finishing with 20 catches for 180 yards and a receiving score plus three carries for 11 yards and the aforementioned touchdown.

Cleveland Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

The do-it-all linebacker had the best season of all of the Notre Dame rookies. Despite a preseason COVID-19 episode and an ankle injury leading to a brief stay on IR, Owusu-Koramoah started 10 games and saw the field in a total of 14. The 6-foot-2, 221-pound linebacker recorded 76 tackles (second on the team), four pass breakups, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and 1.5. sacks. Owusu-Koramoah was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team as a result of his first-year production.

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Detroit Lions TE Brock Wright

Wright went undrafted but ended up starting five games and playing in 10 games for the Lions. He totaled 12 receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns in his first season in Detroit.

Detroit Lions WR Javon McKinley

McKinley signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent, was waived in August, and was re-signed to the practice squad on Sept. 1. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Lions in January.

Detroit Lions OG Tommy Kraemer

Kramer spent the majority of 2021 as the Lions’ second-string left guard. He appeared in a total of nine games, and he started in Weeks 12, 15 and 17.

Los Angeles Rams WR Ben Skowronek

Skowronek was the only former Notre Dame player currently in the NFL to take home a Super Bowl ring, and it happened in his first season. The former seventh-round NFL Draft selection caught two passes for 12 yards in the Super Bowl, and he finished the season with 11 receptions for 133 yards.

Miami Dolphins OT Liam Eichenberg

Eichenberg was Notre Dame’s most impactful rookie on the offensive side of the ball, starting in 16 of the Dolphins’ 17 games. According to PFF, the 6-foot-6, 302-pound tackle played a total of 1,108 snaps and allowed nine sacks. He will look to improve upon that number in 2022 under new offensive line coach Matt Applebaum.

New Orleans Saints QB Ian Book

Book arrived in New Orleans while the quarterback room was in a state of transition; for the first time since 2006, former quarterback Drew Brees was not on the roster. The 2021 fourth-round pick got the Dec. 27 start against the Dolphins because starting quarterback Jameis Winston was out for the season with a torn ACL and No. 2 Trevor Siemian and No. 3 Taysom Hill were on the COVID-19 list. Book went 12-for-20 with 135 yards and two picks in a 20-3 loss. He was sacked eight times.

San Francisco 49ers OG Aaron Banks

Banks, a second-round draft selection last spring, saw action in nine games in 2021 but made zero starts. The Bay Area native played a total of five snaps, per PFF. The site does not include special teams snaps in their count.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers C Robert Hainsey

Hainsey moved from tackle to center in his inaugural professional year. It’s a small sample size, but the 6-foot-4, 306-pound lineman did not allow a sack over 31 snaps in 2021. So far so good.