Notre Dame Football: 5 Key Skill Position Players to Watch in 2016
By Kyle Nishida
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish enter the 2016 college football season with a lot of new starters. They need these new starters to step up in 2016.
To start, quarterbacks DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire are not on this list. These two are obvious candidates to have excellent 2016 seasons, but they are also known quantities.
Everyone knows the quarterback position is important, especially for the Fighting Irish. However, this list is focused on players who are not quarterbacks.
No one will be surprised if either player has a terrific 2016 season, unless, one of them is holding the Heisman trophy at the end of the season.
Head coach Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish are certainly focused on the quarterback position. However, they are also concerned with evaluating players who have been living in the shadow of previous starters.
Most of the program’s players who could have a breakout 2016 season are on the offensive side of the ball. The Irish had a lot of offensive players graduate or leave the program early, which some offensive players could immediately jump into the spotlight.
Defensively, the Irish had a lot of young players get experience in 2015 because of injuries. As a result, these players are more prepared to step into bigger roles in 2016.
Here are five Notre Dame Fighting Irish players who will have breakout seasons in 2016.
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