Notre Dame X-Factors Must Thrive In 2023 - Defense Edition

Here are those players:

RYLIE MILLS, DEFENSIVE TACKLE - Mills seems to have finally found a home on the Irish defensive line, and he is now one of the veterans of the Notre Dame line. After moving back and forth between defensive tackle and big end, Mills has settled inside. We saw this transition begin late in the 2022 campaign, and he performed well. Now considered one of the leaders of the defensive line, Mills has a chance to fulfill his potential and become more of a playmaker.

Mills was productive last season on a per-snap basis, but he needs to be more consistent and disruptive as a senior. The tools are there, as Mills possesses the combination of size (6-5, 306), athletic skills and strength to be an impact player up the middle of the defense. Notre Dame must get better inside if the defense is going to play championship football, but that can't happen without Mills becoming the player he's capable of being.

If Mills continues to be a flashy player, but also an inconsistent one from a production standpoint, the defense can't fulfill its potential. He's that important to the defense.

JORDAN BOTELHO, DEFENSIVE END - Mills is vitally important to Notre Dame's success, but he can't do it alone. If Notre Dame is going to have a defense capable of playing championship football it also needs to be able to get after the quarterback from the edge, and Botelho is the key to making that happen. 

He has big shoes to fill as he steps into Vyper spot that was manned the previous two seasons by Isaiah Foskey, who racked up 22 sacks and became the program's all-time leader in that category. It's a lot to ask, but Botelho needs to become that kind of impact edge rusher.

Botelho has a bit of a different skillset, and Notre Dame could use him to do a lot of things, like moving around the line and dropping into coverage at a higher level. But even if he has more of an all-around responsibility, the fact is when he's turned loose on the quarterback he has to be very productive doing it. 

Of course, Botelho has already played a game in place of Foskey, and he shined. Foskey chose to not play in the team's bowl game, and Botelho stepped into the lineup and played big time football, registering two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures (according to Pro Football Focus) in the 45-38 win over South Carolina. If he can carry that into the 2023 season, and if Mills also breaks out, the Irish line will be outstanding.

XAVIER WATTS, SAFETY - Notre Dame had just seven total passes defensed last season, which included just one interception. Harrison Smith had twice that by himself in 2010 and three more than that in 2011. The safety duo of Alohi Gilman and Jalen Elliott had 18 total passes defensed in 2018, and the Gilman, Elliott, Kyle Hamilton trio had 17 passes defensed in 2019. Georgia's starting safeties alone had 17 passes defensed last season.

Clearly the Notre Dame safeties have to be a lot more productive in the pass game and run game if the defense is going to be able to play with offenses like Ohio State, USC,Clemson, Duke, Louisville and NC State. The good news is Watts returns after registering three of those seven breakups. He was also Notre Dame's most impactful run game safety last season.

Now a senior, and finally settled in as a full-time safety, Watts has a chance to become the latest impact safety in the Irish defense. He's athletic, he's smart and he plays the game with a lot of swagger. I have high hopes for Watts as a player, and if he lives up to expectations he gives the secondary a huge shot in the arm, and he would combine with Notre Dame's big time cornerbacks to give the defense one of the nation's best secondaries.

THOMAS HARPER, NICKEL - This one is short and sweet. The now-departed TaRiq Bracy was a very important member of the Irish defense last season, and Notre Dame faces a 2023 schedule that is filled with productive pass games and big time passers. If the defense is going to hold its own, and thrive in those matchups they need Harper to step into Bracy's lineup and thrive.