Notre Dame Lands Oklahoma State Transfer Thomas Harper

Notre Dame has added a second transfer in as many days with Oklahoma State defensive back Thomas Harper making his intentions to play for the Irish known. Harper comes to Notre Dame after spending the last four seasons at Oklahoma State.

The 5-11, 180-pound safety played all four seasons with the Cowboys, but the Covid-19 season of 2020 gives him a fifth year opportunity, which he'll now take at Notre Dame. He will enter the 2023 season with 93 career tackles, five tackles for loss, six pass break ups and two interceptions.

Harper has played both the nickel position and safety at Oklahoma State, and he'll be given an opportunity to play both spots for Notre Dame. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 259 snaps in the slot this season and 125 snaps at safety. He also played 12 snaps outside at cornerback.

In 2021 his snaps were more evenly distributed to both slot and safety.

If Harper is able to work his way into the Notre Dame rotation he'll give the Irish one scholarship player that can play the spots that were manned by TaRiq Bracy and Brandon Joseph this past season. Harper will get a chance to play first in the nickel position, and also provides much needed experience at the safety position, which is also a thin unit.

Harper is a different type of nickel than Bracy, who was more of a pure cover player, and he was outstanding in that position. Harper brings more size and tackling ability to the nickel position. Harper held opponents to 9.7 and 5.8 yards per catch when targeted the last two seasons (according to Pro Football Focus), which would make him among the better safeties at Notre Dame the last two seasons, and is better than the 10.6 that Bracy allowed this fall.

Irish Breakdown Fans be sure to get your Notre Dame tickets from SI Tickets HERE

Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge

Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

———————

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.

BECOME A MEMBER

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Follow me on Gettr: @IrishBreakdown
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter