Notre Dame safety Brandon Joseph reveals what he’s learned from former teammate, ‘best friend’ Greg Newsome II
Northwestern transfer safety Brandon Joseph brings quite the body of work to Notre Dame. Sure, the the 6-1, 185-pound defensive back has elite raw talent, but his resume was also shaped by those in Evanston, including one of the best to recently play defensive back in college football.
Former Northwestern cornerback and current Cleveland Browns starter Greg Newsome II spent two years on the Wildcats roster with Joseph, and the stars clicked from the moment they met.
“That’s my best friend,” Joseph said with a smile when asked about his relationship with Newsome. “He was my host at Northwestern and took me under his wing since Day 1.”
In three years with the Wildcats, Newsome recorded 71 tackles, 20 pass breakups and an interception. He was a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, landing in the Midwest with the Browns.
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Despite suffering through a concussion and being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the 6-0, 192-pound corner played in 12 games, made 11 starts and notched 37 tackles with nine passes defended as a rookie last season.
His impact on the field is undeniable. The books show that. But to Joseph, he’s much more than a stat line to admire.
“The thing I learned from that guy is he is the most cocky, confident person I’ve ever met in my life,” Joseph said, holding back laughter. “I’ve learned that as a defensive back, you have to have that. That’s what makes him so good.
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“Jalen Ramsey, Richard Sherman, Greg Newsome — that will take them to what they need to do.”
He acknowledged that corner is a bit different than safety in their assignments and therefore the attitude they bring, but confidence is needed across the field regardless of where you’re lined up.
Joseph, who feels more comfortable letting his play do the talking, has tried to channel his inner Newsome, especially as he enters a college football season this fall eyeing the NFL.
“I’ve taken some of that confidence he’s taught me out on the field,” Joseph said.
One of the newest members of the Irish football team seemed especially grateful for the lessons Newsome taught him, as Joseph opened up about learning how to be a leader amongst his new teammates. Per Joseph, it’s not easy being an upperclassman entering a new environment like Notre Dame, especially for someone a little quieter.
He’s definitely getting the hang of it as the Irish enter the latter part of spring practice, and if he ever has a question, his NFL “best friend” is just a call away.
