Replace and Reload: Strongside End
Notre Dame has major question marks at both defensive end spots heading into the 2021 offseason. The Irish lose both starters, and the proven depth behind both positions is limited.
We begin our post-2020 replace and reload series with a look at the strongside end position.
WHAT WAS LOST
For the second straight season, Notre Dame must replace its starting strongside end, this time it loses veteran Adetokunbo Ogundeji.
Ogundeji had a great story, a three-star player committed to Western Michigan who was evaluated by former line coach Keith Gilmore. Notre Dame flipped him from the Broncos, and over time he developed into a standout for the Irish.
Ogundeji was a key rotation player in 2018 and 2019, but he was the standout up front as a fifth-year senior in 2020. The West Bloomfield, Mich. native led the Irish defense with seven sacks this past season, and he also registered 23 tackles.
According to Pro Football Focus, he led the defense with 37 quarterback hurries, which included 18 hits or sacks on the quarterback. Compare that to Khalid Kareem, who had just 11 hits/sacks in 13 games last season.
The standout end was a brilliant edge as a run defender all season. Ogundeji was a key to Notre Dame's stout run defense this season.
WHAT RETURNS
The backup to Ogundeji this season was Justin Ademilola, who finished the season with 17 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
Ademilola was a stout run defender off the bench, using his powerful hands and natural leverage to effectively set the edge. Ademilola was always a quality run defender, even in limited reps, but in 2020 he played over 200 reps and showed he can be that player with a bigger workload.
Whether he slides into the starting lineup or remains as the rotation player, Ademilola will once again be a key figure in the defensive line rotation in 2021.
The key to Ademilola getting more action and becoming more of the "go-to" player at the strongside spot is developing his pass rush game. If he can prove to be more effective as a pass rusher his playing time will likely increase and he could certainly have a chance to grab the starting role.
Rising junior NaNa Osafo-Mensah missed most of the 2020 season with a knee injury, but he did return late in the season and actually got a few snaps against Syracuse. Osafo-Mensah was a top recruit in the 2019 class, but the knee injury he sustained this season slowed his growth.
With Ogundeji gone, the spring gives him a chance to earn more reps and work his way into the rotation. Notre Dame needs Osafo-Mensah to grow up quickly as a player this spring and provide the front with depth.
Rising sophomore Alexander Ehrensberger didn't play much this season, but he was certainly impressive in that one game. The German had a sack and two run stops in just 14 snaps against South Florida.
Ehrensberger has tremendous size and power, and he's athletic for his size as well. His raw tools are impressive, and there could be a day where he is an impact player for the Irish defense. The issue, however, is his lack of experience playing football, and playing the position.
How quickly position coach Mike Elston can get him going will have a major impact on how the end rotation pans out next season. It would be wise for the Irish coaching staff and strength staff to make Ehrensberger a pet project this offseason.
If they can get him to start turning his God-given tools into production they could have the makings of a very, very good edge player.
A POSITION CHANGE COULD BE IN THE WORKS
It would not be overly surprising to see a position change at strongside end. With the decision of Ovie Oghoufo to transfer out, that player will likely not be Isaiah Foskey, who has a lot of traits that could thrive on the strongside.
A player that I do think could see himself moved outside is current starting defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. The senior is not a natural 280+ pound player, and a move to the edge could allow him to cut some weight.
While Tagovailoa-Amosa doesn't project to be a great pass rusher on the edge, he could certainly be disruptive and impactful against the run.
Notre Dame is loaded inside, and Jayson Ademilola could easily take on Tagovailoa-Amosa's starting role and actually be more productive. Current freshman Rylie Mills is only going to get better and better, and if either current freshman Aidan Keanaaina or incoming freshman Gabriel Rubio emerge as legit rotation players at the nose, there's also reps at the three technique for Jacob Lacey.
With that abundance in talent and depth inside, moving Tagovailoa-Amosa would make sense. If he can provide anything as a pass rusher it would make that transition even smoother.
Mills is another player that could be an intriguing option as a strongside end. He's an athletic player who might bring more pass rushing prowess than Tagovailoa-Amosa, but he showed so much promise inside that the staff might want to see what he and Ademilola can do inside next season after both get another year in the weight room.
KEY QUESTIONS
1. Where does the pass rush come from? - There are a lot of good run options at the position, but Ademillola and Tagovailoa-Amosa are question marks as every down pass rushers on the edge in base defense situations. Can one of them enhance their pass rushing repertoire, or can a young player like Osafo-Mensah, Ehrensberger or even Mills develop into a quality edge rusher.
2. A position change will happen, but who? - I believe Tagovailoa-Amosa outside will be the move, but a lot can happen between now and the start of spring practice.
3. How quickly an the young players develop? - Getting either Osafo-Mensah or Ehrensberger to make a big leap this offseason would be huge for the SDE depth chart, which right now looks shaky from a pass rush standpoint and downright scary from an experience standpoint behind Ademilola.
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