3 Notre Dame prospects the Jacksonville Jaguars should target in the 2023 NFL Draft

Notre Dame is accustomed to providing strong leadership and great character to the NFL with their prospects. These are two qualities the Jacksonville Jaguars locker room needs going into the 2023 season.

The Jags are preparing to make a deep playoff run after their impressive 2022 season and need to address some roster holes in the draft. The Fighting Irish have three intriguing prospects that could soon push Jacksonville into the Super Bowl, and general manager Trent Baalke could potentially get all three.

3. Notre Dame draft prospect the Jaguars should target: Isaiah Foskey

Assuming the Jaguars go with a cornerback in the second round, they will need to address the edge position in the third. They will be looking for a valuable pass rusher already at the NFL level and Notre Dame's Isaiah Foskey could be the perfect fit. He reminds me a little of Lawrence Taylor. Watch this strip sack against USC to see how much of an impact he can have on the football field.

Foskey's beautiful frame and versatility made him the all-time sack leader at the historic university. The sack record was the main reason he returned to the Irish in 2022 instead of entering last year's draft.

Scouting reports say he has a nose for the quarterback and big plays with explosiveness off the edge. Foskey still has tremendous upside despite already being an accomplished pass rusher. Think of former Jaguar and one of the most consistent pass rushers of the last five years, Yannick Ngakoue, for an adequate player comparison.

Why Foskey is ranked 72nd overall on the NFL Media's draft board is baffling. Yet, due to the depth at the edge position, most mock drafts have him available when the Jaguars are on the clock with the 88th pick. With the loss of free agent Arden Key, it could be worth trading up in the third to lock Foskey in.

2. Notre Dame draft prospect the Jaguars should target: Brandon Joseph

The Jaguars are one of the teams looking for a ball-hawk safety in the NFL draft. Notre Dame's Brandon Joesph fits a lot of what the Jags need at safety. Scouting reports on Joseph rave about his instincts to create turnovers and his ball skills. He also has one of the highest passing game football IQs in the draft.

Joseph has experience at the college level in complex defenses, making him an immediate compliment in the Jaguars' defensive backfield. At 6'1 and 202 pounds, he has the prototypical size for an NFL safety. His athletic testing at the combine showed above-average speed, strength, and agility, which has helped him creep up draft boards.

In 2020, Joseph was an All-American at Northwestern before making headlines by transferring to Notre Dame through the transfer portal in 2022. He was projected to be drafted in the first round before a mildly disappointing and injury-plagued season. He showed flashes of his ability early in the season against Marshall and Ohio State, racking up 12 tackles and a pair of big third-down stops.

Joseph appears to check all the boxes the Jags need at safety. On the other hand, he missed several routine open-field tackles against Michigan last year at Notre Dame. Some draft reports have noted he has poor acceleration through transitions and lacks agility in short areas.

These analyses have Joseph slightly undervalued as the 13th-ranked safety with a total draft score of 65. He has the football IQ and leadership abilities the Jags lack and the physicality to develop into a solid starter. Brandon Joseph would be a steal for the Jags with their 4th-round pick, #121.

1. Notre Dame draft prospect the Jaguars should target: Michael Mayer

Michael Mayer is poised to be the next great tight end in the NFL. He has all the tools, size, and acumen to be a superstar. His tenure at Notre Dame was record-setting and legendary. Mayer is pro-ready and will be a Day 1 starter for whoever is lucky enough to draft him.

Mayer was a four-star high school recruit out of Kentucky and 2019 Gatorade Kentucky Football Player of the Year. He turned down offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Michigan to join the Fighting Irish. Over his career at Notre Dame, he hauled in 180 catches, tied for the third most in the storied program's history.

Michael Mayer is the Trevor Lawrence of tight ends. He is a mismatch in the middle of the field for any linebacker, and his in-line blocking will be an asset in both the passing and rushing game. He has excellent focus and is rarely distracted by challenging routes or defender contact. A good NFL comparison would be a smarter Jason Witten.

He should be a top 5 pick, but scouts note he is a bit slow off the line and lacks run-after-the-catch explosiveness. These reports have him dropping into the late teens on most mock drafts. While it is hard to imagine Mayer slipping past the Lions at No. 18, Trent Balke has to jump on him if he's available at No. 24. Pairing Mayer and Evan Engram in a two-tight end set would open up the field for Trevor Lawrence and the wide receiver crew, ultimately making the Jags a potent offense.