Like the rest of his classmates along the offensive line, Jimmy Byrne spent 2014 learning the ropes and hitting the weight room. The Ohio native who chose the Irish over Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes begins 2015 in a similar spot to where he was last season, behind a depth chart of talented players.
But with his eligibility clock just beginning and some veteran depth about to graduate, Byrne’s time could be coming. But it’ll be up to him to make a move, especially with Harry Hiestand among the best recruiters in the country.
Let’s take a closer look at rising sophomore Jimmy Byrne.
JIMMY BYRNE
6'4", 295 lbs.
Sophomore, No. 67, OL
RECRUITING PROFILE
Byrne shut it down early, committing to the Irish during the 2012 season though he didn’t sign until 2014. But he had already weighed an offer from hometown Ohio State, and had other options like Illinois and Michigan State.
Byrne’s a St. Ignatius product, a school that’s sent players to both South Bend and Columbus. As he has since he got here, Harry Hiestand took another good player from Meyer and offensive line coach Ed Warinner, bringing an interior player to Notre Dame.
PLAYING CAREER
Freshman Season (2014): Did not see action, preserved year of eligibility.
WHAT WE SAID LAST YEAR
I mentioned the idea of Byrne as a center last year and I’m going to do the same again this year. Because with Quenton Nelson looking like a guard in the future and Steve Elmer back on the inside, it’s still a crowded position.It’s really going to be interesting see how the battle for Christian Lombard’s right guard job plays out after this season. Does the job go to a veteran like Conor Hanratty? Or a young riser like John Montelus? After not hearing a world from Colin McGovern, he impressed mightily during spring practice.
Take into consideration that Steve Elmer is a born tackle playing guard out of necessity and the shake out should be fascinating. There’s every reason to believe Byrne could play center if needed, and if he grows he could lengthen into being a tackle. With the depth Hiestand is building, getting on the field is a battle, and making your way into the starting lineup before becoming an upperclassman might not be easy.
Evaluating linemen on high school film isn’t a winning proposition, especially for a guy sitting at a laptop. But the data-points suggest Byrne has the ingredients to be a good one.
FUTURE POTENTIAL
That Nelson and Alex Bars will likely be splitting reps at left guard doesn’t really say much about Byrne’s talent—rather it says more abut how good that duo is. Kelly’s raved about both, and Bars just seems like too good of an offensive line prospect not to get onto the field, even if he’s a natural tackle.
But Byrne now enters that murky area where he’ll need to improve on the practice field to prove to Hiestand and Kelly that he’s ready to take reps when they matter—because the game day rotation is full. That alone could limit his upside, as he was running with the third string this spring, behind veterans who may or may not be in the program for five seasons.
CRYSTAL BALL
Ultimately, makeup plays a big role in how an offensive lineman turns out. For every early contributor like Zack Martin or Steve Elmer, there’s a guy who finds his way into the lineup later in his career and thrives, a la Mike Golic. That’s the path Byrne is on—and frankly, that’s the more likely path for everybody on this offensive line, especially if Hiestand keeps cherrypicking elite talent.
Again, if I’m an offensive lineman at Notre Dame, I’m teaching myself to snap. Because after Nick Martin departs, it’ll be a wide open competition, with Sam Mustipher a converted center and Tristen Hoge the first true center the Irish have recruited under Kelly.
Byrne’s essentially the same guy that we were guessing on last year. He’s 10 pounds heavier, likely in a lot better shape, and still doing battle in one of the best depth charts we’ve seen along the offensive line in years.
THE 2015 IRISH A-to-Z
Josh Adams, RB
Josh Barajas, OLB
Nicky Baratti, S
Alex Bars, OL
Asmar Bilal, OLB
Hunter Bivin, OL
Grant Blankenship, DE
Jonathan Bonner, DE
Miles Boykin, WR
Justin Brent, WR
Greg Bryant, RB
Devin Butler, CB