We are breaking down the Notre Dame prospects hoping to hear their names called in the upcoming NFL Draft being held in Detroit from April 25th through the 27th. Today, we look at one of the top tacklers in Fighting Irish history.
SPECS
Name: JD Bertrand
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia
Position: LB
Height: 6-0 7/10 (per Pro Day)
Weight: 235 (per Pro Day)
Bench Press: 20 (2nd out of 7 LB)
STRENGTHS:
Tremendous production throughout a long college career. Bertrand has a strong and lean frame with big heavy-hitting arms. An aggressive down-hill tackler with a good nose for the ball. As a two-time captain at Notre Dame he was a consummate leader. Sneaky good short area explosiveness, especially coming towards the line of scrimmage. Excels in zone coverage.
WEAKNESSES:
Lacks ideal height and he will struggle with a lack of range at the NFL level. Often takes himself out of the play with an overly aggressive style. From time to time takes bad angles and is unable to make a play on the ball. Bertrand didn’t have the physical stature to get off blocks against the top-end of Notre Dame’s schedule. Production arguably should’ve been better given his use within the Irish defense. Man coverage is a definite weakness.
OVERVIEW:
Bertrand went from maybe being a scholarship grayshirt (remember that!?) and leaves Notre Dame with a tremendous career behind him. I know it didn’t always feel like he was a top-level producer at linebacker and still he totaled 267 tackles and 22.5 tackles for loss. Not too shabby.
Initially, Bertrand was not on the NFL radar but that has changed after a few years of starting for Notre Dame. He didn’t do much of anything at the NFL Combine after dealing with a plantar fasciitis injury following a successful Senior Bowl and that might have been a missed opportunity. He also didn’t do much at the Notre Dame Pro Day, either.
PREDICTION:
7th Round, 243rd Overall to the Cleveland Browns
The Browns just signed 8-year veteran Jordan Hicks to a 2-year deal with an out after 2024 to fill a hole at inside linebacker. Still, they should be looking for quality linebacker depth at the end of the draft and Bertrand fits the bill to join the franchise with former teammate Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The talented JOK is heading into the final year of his rookie deal and will be looking for a big contract soon, furthering Cleveland’s need for cheaper depth in the coming years.
Bertrand probably wouldn’t be drafted if not for his special teams experience and value. That skillset just might get him over the line to hear his name called in Detroit during the NFL Draft. If not, he’ll be a really valuable free agent signing with one of the 32 teams in the league.
Recent ND LBs to the NFL with Career Earnings through the length of their current contracts – JOK ($6,476,217), Isaiah Foskey ($8,734,721), both of whom are on their rookie contracts; Julian Okwara ($6,170,780) on his fifth year signing a one year contract with the Eagles and Drue Tranquill ($27,091,112). Tranquill signed a one year contract for his fifth year last year and just signed a three year contract with KC.
There’s not much difference in annual salary from a 7th rounder to an Undrafted Free Agent. As noted, Bertrand skillset is limited as compared with JOK and Tranquill. UDFAs can negotiate guaranteed money and have more freedom with the possiblity of finding a team with a greater chance of filing a depth piece.
Wasn’t he initially a preferred walkon? He’s come a long way.
JD Bertrand Named Campbell Award Finalist
I give mad props to JD; the LB room had very little depth in 2021, and he took a TON of snaps that season. You could see the wear in the second half of the bowl game, that much mileage adds up.
He had maybe my 2 most underrated plays of the season back to back. Against USC in the second quarter he stuffed the RB a yard short of the sticks on 3rd down, then on a critical 4th down in ND territory, he knifed through the block, and tackled both Caleb Williams and the RB to force the turnover on downs. Keeping 7 points off the board there while the fate of the game was still very much in play was massive, and served as a summation of the defenses whole effort.
Wish they fella nothing but the best!
Loved those two plays v the Trojans, thanks for evoking the memory.