Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 2 DJ Brown, sixth-year safety, possible two-year starter
Listed measurements: 6-foot-⅜, 200 pounds.
2023-24 year, eligibility: A sixth-year veteran, this will certainly be Brown’s final collegiate season.
Depth Chart: The transfer of Antonio Carter from Rhode Island could push Brown to the second string. Of the four veteran safeties in play — seniors Xavier Watts and Ramon Henderson the other two — only Watts looks like a clear starter. The other three will compete this preseason to join him.
Recruiting: An Under Armour All-American, Brown held off on signing with Virginia during the December signing period back in 2017 despite his long commitment to the Cavaliers. A Maryland native, he eventually reopened his recruitment and picked Notre Dame over Cal and Northwestern while also holding offers from Clemson, Ohio State and South Carolina.
CAREER TO DATE
Brown’s career began as a reserve cornerback before becoming a reserve safety as a sophomore. He logged more than 200 snaps in 2020 as Kyle Hamilton’s backup, and then when Hamilton suffered a season-ending injury in October of 2021, Brown picked up more playing time.
With Hamilton sidelined, the Irish moved cornerback Ramon Henderson to safety, where he obviously remains, and he quickly started in front of Brown. But the veteran stayed engaged, helping Henderson from the sidelines.
Brown moved back in front of Henderson in 2022, starting alongside Brandon Joseph for most of the season.
2018: 1 game.2019: 9 games; seven tackles.2020: 12 games, 1 start; eight tackles with two passes broken up.2021: 12 games, 1 start; 42 tackles with one for loss, three interceptions and four passes broken up.2022: 13 games, 10 starts; 48 tackles with an assisted one for loss and two passes broken up.
QUOTES
Brown’s return in 2023 was far from a certainty given he will have to re-earn his starting role. He knew as much; Watts’s ascension has been rapid since moving to safety from linebacker and before that from receiver. Henderson’s growth has not been as quick, but it has been relatively steady. Yet, Brown remains in South Bend.
“It’s a confidence in himself that the way he plays the game and the plays he makes, he will always find a way on the field,” Irish safeties coach Chris O’Leary said in early April. “We talk all the time about unit strength and having a deep room from ones, twos and threes. We’re going to play four guys; it has been that way for 2-3 years, and it will continue to be that way.
“He knows that and knew that this year, coming out and making plays on the ball, being physical and tackling will give him a shot at the next level.”
If Brown makes plays on the ball, it will most likely be the result of presnap recognition.
“He’s an extremely smart player,” O’Leary said. “The plays he makes because of what he sees is about to happen get faster and faster. He will see things before they happen from the offense where some of us on the sidelines are like, ‘Holy cow, that’s an amazing play.’”
WHAT WAS PROJECTED A YEAR AGO
“For someone who made three interceptions last season, Brown’s play is oddly unmemorable. Perhaps that is a good thing from a safety, an indicator he was not beaten often. But the best safeties make so many plays they cannot be forgotten.
“That will most likely be Joseph this season, with his running buddy the more stable of the two safeties, thus allowing the Northwestern transfer some free-range liberties. That may be a scenario ideally-suited for Brown, given the greatest critique of his 2021 was that it was not particularly noticeable.
“Henderson’s greater length and sprinter’s speed, though, give him a higher ceiling.
“Regardless, Brown should play. Even when Henderson started the final four games last year, Brown played plenty. And as noted regarding Henderson’s interception at Virginia, Brown impacted the game even when he was off the field.”
2023 OUTLOOK
Make no mistake: Carter is an FBS-level safety. He could start and excel for Notre Dame.
But Brown is an experienced FBS-level safety, and that higher floor could give him an edge in the preseason. With more than 1,100 career snaps, Brown knows where to be, knows where others should be and knows how to make the most of those positionings.
He is not the most physically gifted of the Irish safeties. Watts is far more physical, and Henderson is both faster and longer. But Brown’s understanding of everything in front of him gives him an advantage.
Brown has never been a sure tackler, so he may be subbed out on obvious rushing downs, cutting into his total workload. That would keep the reserves more engaged, as well.
DOWN THE ROAD
Few players require two winters of “So-and-so will return” headlines, but Brown did. Two years ago, he was considering the transfer portal.
“We had that discussion of what was best for him,” O’Leary said.
This past winter, Brown was considering the NFL.
“Going into this one, it was more so, ‘Do you want to shoot your shot at the NFL or come back?’”
Brown’s shot will come in the spring of 2024, and he will have to make some plays this season to strengthen his film before improving his testing numbers with specific training after this season.
RELATED READING: DJ Brown will add depth and experience to Notre Dame secondary in 2022
Safety DJ Brown announces return in 2023, giving Notre Dame three returning DB starters
NOTRE DAME 99-TO-0
The summer countdown begins anew, Rylie Mills to Deion Colzie
No. 99 Rylie Mills, senior defensive tackle, moving back inside from end
No. 98 Devan Houstan, early-enrolled four-star defensive tackle
No. 97 Gabriel Rubio, junior defensive tackle, one of three Irish DTs with notable experience
No. 95 Tyson Ford, sophomore defensive tackle, up 30 pounds from a year ago
No. 93 Armel Mukam, incoming freshman defensive end, former Stanford commit
No. 92 Aidan Keanaaina, a senior defensive tackle now ‘fully healthy’ after a 2022 torn ACL
No. 91 Aiden Gobaira, sophomore defensive end, former four-star recruit
No. 88 Mitchell Evans, the next starter at ‘TE U
No. 87 Cooper Flanagan, incoming freshman tight end, four-star recruit
No. 84 Kevin Bauman, senior tight end coming off a torn ACL
No. 83 Jayden Thomas, junior receiver, probable No. 1 target in 2023
No. 79 Tosh Baker, senior tackle, again a backup but next year ...
No. 78 Pat Coogan, junior interior offensive lineman
No. 77 Ty Chan, sophomore offensive tackle, former four-star recruit
No. 76 Joe Alt, first-team All-American left tackle
No. 75 Sullivan Absher, incoming freshman offensive lineman
No. 74 Billy Schrauth, sophomore left guard, likely starter
No. 73 Andrew Kristofic, fifth-year right guard, likely starter
No. 72 Sam Pendelton, early-enrolled freshman offensive lineman
No. 70 Ashton Craig, sophomore interior offensive lineman
No. 68 Michael Carmody, senior offensive lineman
No. 65 Michael Vinson, sixth-year long snapper, four-year starter
No. 64 Joe Otting, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 59 Aamil Wagner, sophomore offensive tackle
No. 56 Charles Jagusah, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 56 Howard Cross, fifth-year defensive tackle, multi-year starter
No. 55 Chris Terek, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 54 Blake Fisher, junior right tackle, second-year starter
No. 52 Zeke Correll, fifth-year center, third-year starter
No. 51 Boubacar Traore, incoming freshman defensive end, four-star recruit
No. 50 Rocco Spindler, junior offensive guard
No. 47 Jason Onye, junior defensive tackle on the verge of playing time
No. 44 Junior Tuihalamaka, sophomore defensive end, former linebacker
No. 42 Nolan Ziegler, sophomore linebacker, Irish legacy
No. 41 Donovan Hinish, sophomore defensive tackle following in his brother’s footsteps
No. 40 Joshua Burnham, sophomore linebacker-turned-Vyper end
No. 38 Davis Sherwood, junior fullback/H-back, former walk-on
No. 34 Drayk Bowen, early-enrolled freshman linebacker, baseball infielder
No. 32 Spencer Shrader, South Florida transfer kicker
No. 31 Nana Osafo-Mensah, fifth-year defensive end
No. 29 Christian Gray, early-enrolled freshman cornerback coming off a knee injury
No. 29 Matt Salerno, sixth-year receiver, former walk-on
No. 27 JD Bertrand, fifth-year linebacker, third-year starter, possible captain
No. 25 Preston Zinter, early-enrolled freshman linebacker, subtle recruiting win
No. 24 Jack Kiser, fifth-year linebacker, third-year starter, most efficient defender
No. 24 Jadarian Price, sophomore RB, reportedly recovered from an Achilles injury
No. 23 Jaiden Ausberry, early-enrolled freshman linebacker, four-star recruit
No. 22 Ben Minich, early-enrolled freshman safety, four-star recruit
No. 22 Jeremiyah Love, incoming freshman running back, four-star recruit
No. 21 Adon Shuler, early-enrolled freshman safety coming off shoulder surgery
No. 20 Benjamin Morrison, sophomore cornerback, preseason All-American
No. 19 Jaden Greathouse, early-enrolled freshman receiver, Blue-Gold Game star
No. 18 Steve Angeli, sophomore quarterback, competing for the backup role
No. 18 Chance Tucker, junior cornerback
No. 17 Brenan Vernon, incoming freshman defensive end, four-star recruit
No. 17 Rico Flores Jr., early-enrolled freshman receiver, four-star recruit
No. 16 Micah Bell, incoming freshman cornerback, speedy four-star recruit
No. 15 Ryan Barnes, junior cornerback
No. 14 Bryce McFerson, sophomore punter facing a challenge for a second straight year
No. 14 Braylon James, early-enrolled freshman receiver, four-star recruit
No. 13 Holden Staes, sophomore tight end, up 20 pounds in a year
No. 13 Thomas Harper, Oklahoma State graduate transfer safety/nickel back
No. 12 Penn State RB transfer Devyn Ford gives Notre Dame newly-needed backfield depth, experience
No. 12 Jordan Botelho, senior Vyper defensive end
No. 11 KK Smith, incoming freshman receiver, speedster
No. 11 Ramon Henderson, senior safety
No. 10 Sam Hartman, Wake Forest graduate transfer quarterback, QB1
No. 9 Eli Raridon, sophomore tight end coming off a second ACL tear
No. 8 Kenny Minchey, early-enrolled freshman quarterback, former Pittsburgh commit
No. 8 Marist Liufau, fifth-year linebacker, second season as a starter
No. 7 Audric Estimé, junior running back, bellcow, workhorse
No. 7 Jaden Mickey, sophomore cornerback coming off big and small life lessons
No. 6 Clarence Lewis, senior cornerback with more experience than most realize
No. 5 Tobias Merriweather, sophomore receiver subject to lofty comparisons
No. 5 Cam Hart, fifth-year cornerback, coming off another shoulder injury
No. 4 Rhode Island transfer safety Antonio Carter gives Notre Dame desperately needed backline depth
No. 3 Jaylen Sneed, sophomore linebacker coming off a notable role in the Gator Bowl
No. 3 Gi’Bran Payne, sophomore running back
