Lions draft watch: Clemson vs. Notre Dame scouting preview
One of the big games on the college football slate in Week 10 of the CFB season takes place in South Bend. Clemson visits Notre Dame in a widely anticipated game that features several 2023 NFL draft prospects.
It’s a game where the Detroit Lions will be among many NFL teams in attendance to check out potential draftees. I’ll be there as well when the fourth-ranked Tigers play the 5-3 Fighting Irish on Saturday night.
Here are some of the players to know through Lions draft eyes.
Clemson EDGE Myles Murphy
Murphy is almost universally projected as a top-10 pick, and it’s easy to see why. The true junior has been an impact starter since arriving on campus, and his athletic ability and repertoire of pass rush moves bear some resemblance current Lions rookie Aidan Hutchinson. Murphy can win inside or outside, with speed or power. It’s his ability to transition from one to the other (power-to-speed or speed-to-power) that makes the 275-pound Murphy so appealing.
He’s not the greatest finisher of plays, sometimes showing a lack of body control or too high of an aiming point in the run game. That’s something to watch with Murphy, who should certainly be in play if the Lions are picking in the 4-8 overall range.
Notre Dame EDGE Isaiah Foskey
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Foskey is straight out of central casting in terms of looking the part of an NFL pass rusher. At 6-5 and 265 pounds, with long arms and a muscular build, he’s got the ability to play inline or standing up. Foskey isn’t as twitchy as some top-end rushers, but he might be best-in-class at shedding blocks and accelerating out of contact and getting after the QB.
His propensity to force fumbles (nine in 2020-2021) is very appealing to a team like the Lions who struggle to create takeaways. Foskey is a consistent force with some positional versatility; Notre Dame has used him in an off-ball LB role at times and he’s not uncomfortable dropping into space. Foskey is currently projected in the draft range of the Lions’ second first-round pick, the 12-20 overall range.
Clemson DT Bryan Bresee
Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports
Bresee is a playmaking defensive tackle who has a game that draws some from former Lions All-Pro Ndamukong Suh. Bresee is quick off the snap and can win over either shoulder of the guard or center. While Bresee lacks anchor strength as an interior run defender, the 300-pounder compensates in the way Suh did, by being freakishly strong in short bursts and using that to disengage or seize the advantage.
The biggest question for Bresee is durability. He tore his ACL in 2021 and has missed time in 2022 with a kidney issue (as well as dealing with the death of his sister from cancer). For a Lions team that has shown little aversion to prospects with durability questions, that shouldn’t dissuade Detroit. But maybe it should…
Bresee is a top-20 overall prospect and appears in the top 10 of most contemporary mock drafts.
Notre Dame S Brandon Joseph
Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Joseph transferred from Northwestern, where he was a playmaking standout. The 6-1, 200-pounder hasn’t had the same kind of impact for the Irish, but he’s still a promising prospect.
Blessed with the shifty athleticism that allows him to be Notre Dame’s punt returner at times, he’s a natural single-high safety who is better in coverage than crashing down in run support. Joseph processes information quickly and can cover a lot of ground in a hurry. No, he’s not related to Lions rookie Kerby Joseph, who had a similar scouting profile. They are indeed similar types of players, which might not work well for a Lions team in need of more diverse talents to blend around guys like Kerby Joseph.
Brandon Joseph is generally expected to be a Day 2 draftee, though he can elevate to the higher-end of that range if he shows out against Clemson–particularly in the short passing game.
Notre Dame OL Jarrett Patterson
Not to be confused with the diminutive former Buffalo Bulls running back, Patterson has helped key the Notre Dame ground game. This is his first season playing guard after starting over 30 games at center, and the 6-foot-4, 310-pound grad student has fared well despite missing time over the summer with a foot injury.
Due to his size, Patterson projects better to the NFL at guard, and his early returns playing left guard solidify him as a prospect who should come off the board between picks 75 and 125. He’s technically adept with great hands and can create some movement in the run game.
Clemson LB Trenton Simpson
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Simpson has proven to be a do-it-all type of backer for the Tigers, who consistently churn out NFL talents in their feature LB role. He is a fantastic, springy athlete with quick reactions and exceptional closing speed. At 6-3 and 230 pounds, Simpson is likely to spend most of his time at the next level in a WLB role.
The trick for Simpson is to find the best role for him early. Like Clemson predecessor Isaiah Simmons, who has underwhelmed as a Cardinals first-rounder (No. 8 overall in 2020), Simpson’s game lacks any one dominant or overwhelming skill. He wins as a pass rusher — something he’s not asked to do often in 2022 — almost exclusively with speed. He’s not terribly instinctive in coverage, relying on his speed and a dominant pass rush in front of him. Simpson is a powerful, reliable tackler. I’m watching to see how well he senses and sheds blocks in this one. He’s a 25-50 overall prospect at this point in my book, a range where the Lions should have multiple picks.
Others to know
Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports
Notre Dame LB Jack Kiser
Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei
Clemson EDGE Xavier Henry
Notre Dame CB Cam Hart
Clemson TE Davis Allen
Note: I left Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer off this list. He’s the best TE in the draft and a likely top-30 pick. Great player. Given the Lions inglorious recent history of first-round TEs, I sincerely hope he winds up on another team. Nothing against Mayer and everything against the sordid Lions franchise history of overvaluing the position.
