Reviewing the Redshirts is an off-season project meant to resurrect discussion about the 2022 Notre Dame freshmen who retained a year of eligibility and discuss their possible impact in 2023 and beyond. The Fighting Irish were able to redshirt 17 players this past season while 1 player medically retired (Joey Tanona) and another player has transferred already to Syracuse (Jayden Bellamy).
Today we’ll take a look at an intriguing tackle with plenty of size to play guard.
OL Ty Chan
Hometown: Lowell, Massachusetts
Height: 6-5
Weight: 310
247Sports Composite Ranking: 4-star, No. 17 OT, No. 1 MA, No. 223 National, 0.9150 score
18 Stripes Grade: 85.7
Murtaugh’s Blurb from the Class Grade:
A big freaking kid who has already put on a lot of weight since he came on Notre Dame’s radar and committed so long ago. For sure a guard in my opinion. Chan looks like he’s still getting used to his increased size. He struggles to move his feet and looks to labor at times. Reminds me a lot of Hunter Spears from the 2019 class who bounced between defense and offensive lines. It’s possible Chan converts into a nose guard.
In another life, the New England prep school football scene would be massive and have deep connections to the University of Notre Dame. Alas, it is not this way. The Irish missed out on A.J. Dillon coming out of Lawrence Academy back in 2017 but struck gold at the same school with Ty Chan, who grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts about 25 minutes to the east of his prep school.
When Chan committed on December 10, 2020 he was listed as light as 265 pounds, although it may have been a rare instance of a player under-reporting their weight. After a season at Notre Dame, Chan is already up to a beefy 310 pounds.
Need at Position: Medium-to-High
As discussed in the offensive line depth chart preview for 2023 the Irish have as many as 3 upperclassmen tackles who really haven’t made much of an impact (or no impact at all) and may not stick around past the spring semester.
If they do stick around that’ll be another year of the 2022 class and incoming 2023 freshmen waiting to make an impact or at least a bit more difficult to develop quickly.
Expected Spot on the 2023 Depth Chart: 2nd String
Let’s just say for argument’s sake that Joe Alt is declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s probably a lock to be a 1st round pick right now and as we’ve discussed in the writers room has a shot to be the first no. 1 overall pick in the NFL since the Bills took defensive end Walt Patulski in 1972.
Who will start at tackle for Notre Dame in 2024 then?
I’d like to see more of Chan’s physical development this spring and where his body is at following his first season with the Irish. I’ve always kind of liked him more as a big guard (even placing him there in our depth chart preview) but someone has to be developing as the next tackle after the Joe Alt (and Blake Fisher) era that sadly will be over before we know it.
My guess is that a couple tackles are leaving and Chan will backup Fisher at right tackle for 2023.
HCMF is saying all the right things about how the administration is supportive of the football team right now during the OCGP press conference. Hopefully they’re all true because I’m still very much excited for the Freeman Era and would hate for him to want to move on because he wasn’t getting support from the admin.
I just watched the whole 45 minutes, both MF and the new OC. I am always willing to believe the best, so discount this remark, but I looked very carefully at MF’s body language, and I think he spoke what he believes:
— the Utah guy turned us down for his own reasons (some of you on this site have written with insight on how Utah has worked very very hard to create continuity on its staff)
— it had nothing to do with the buyout
— he does feel supported.
— also, he likes the new OC not only because he knows him, but because Parker’s ready to continue a “pro-style” offense.
As for the new OK — he looks solid and hungry, and like Eric said on the other thread he started, one really never knows about coaching success until they get into a given job.
So we’ll see.
I like Alt as much as the next guy, but draft him over Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Brock Bowers and Marvin Harrison Jr, to name a few? Not sure I see that. But he could be a very, very high pick! Also, seems like the top of the 2024 draft could be absolutely loaded.
Would love to see Chan make a move and get up there. They do need a young tackle or two to get ready. Also, call me crazy, but I think OL is the one place where you can actually reasonable project guys to come back. Both Nelson and McGlinchey were projected as first round picks and came back for a 4th and 5th year, respectively. It could be the one position where staying in college for an extra year can actually be a benefit for a player.
All that to say, I predict one if not maybe even both of Alt/Fisher will be playing for Notre Dame in 2024. Certainly based on circumstances if the team stinks or they don’t like the new OL coach – maybe they do both leave…But three-and-out for a lineman is super quick
Probably right, but he still will have the closest shot of anyone at ND in a really long time.
https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2023-all-eligible-nfl-mock-draft
This PFF mock draft if everyone was eligible this year has him going 7th overall, ahead of Bowers, but behind the aforementioned Williams, Maye, and Harrison.
Good points. Agreed on the “the closest shot of anyone at ND in a really long time” aspect. I know the PFF’s and analytic models of the world love him, so can’t dismiss it completely. That would probably throw a wrench in my theory (and hope) that he might come back as a senior..But if people are pumping him up as a very likely top 3,5ish pick, can’t blame him for moving on.
I was looking at some mocks to see if there are many OTs projected to go high. Doesn’t seem like a loaded class, but a solid one. Could make Alt even more enticing.
(I did get a chuckle out of Walter Football mocking Jack Kiser as a first round pick)