We are breaking down the Notre Dame football prospects ahead of the NFL Draft which begins on Thursday, April 28th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Today we’ll take a look at the most experienced player in Notre Dame history in terms of games played.

SPECS

Name: Kurt Hinish
Position: NG
Height: 6-1 3/4
Weight: 300
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

STATS

YEAR TACK TFL SACK
2017 8 0.5 0
2018 13 2.0 1.5
2019 15 4.5 2.0
2020 19 7.5 2.0
2021 28 5.5 2.0
TOTAL 83 20.0 7.5

BIO:

Hinish spent so much time at Notre Dame it’s difficult to remember way back when he was just a lowly-regarded 3-star recruit and the No. 42 overall defensive tackle in the 2017 class. He’d play a decent amount early in his career while backing up Jerry Tillery in 2017 then filled the same role with Jonathan Bonner in 2018 before moving into a permanent starting role for the Irish.

Taking advantage of the Covid rules, Hinish was able to come back for a 5th-year in South Bend and leaves the program with a record 61 games played.

STRENGTHS:

Surprising quickness for a nose guard. Uses his hands well to shed blocks and penetrate into the backfield. Quality run-stopper with the ability to take on double teams. Hinish had really good durability and leadership over a long career. Never a real flashy player, his ability to be disruptive shouldn’t be overlooked.

WEAKNESSES:

Not a great enough run stopper for the NFL level and can disappear from games from time to time. Stamina can be an issue against faster offenses. Heavy-set upper-body with a large belly and looks to have maxed out his size in college. Hinish can get out-leveraged by strong offensive linemen if he’s caught off balance.

OVERVIEW:

Hinish wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine which typically isn’t a great sign for your draft prospects. Even before that happened I thought it was a coin flip at best whether he’d be selected this spring. I think he’ll have a hard time hanging on in the league wherever he goes but his blue-collar mentality and college experience should warrant plenty of looks late in the draft.

PREDICTION:

7th Round, 243rd Overall to the Houston Texans

The Texans need so much help that they could be looking for a starter with their sole pick in the 7th round. Okay, I jest but Houston needs to fill out plenty of areas on defense where Hinish could potentially make the team from this draft position. Last year, the Texans picked Roy Lopez in the 6th round out of Arizona and he ended up starting 15 games. So, there could be hope for Hinish if he’s called by Houston.