By: Michael Blough | Writer | Twitter: @MichaelBlough12
The news is now official, Javontae Jean-Bapiste is coming to Notre Dame after seeking the transfer portal from Ohio State! This news is very interesting for two specific reasons that I will get into.
The first reason this is interesting is because the Irish have some depth issues on the defensive line with Isaiah Foskey and both of the Ademilola brothers heading to the draft. Jean-Baptiste is a player that was highly sought after coming out of high school, but found himself bouncing in and out of the rotation at OSU. His clear strengths involve rushing the passer. He will really excel as a situational end that comes in to get after the QB in long down situations and third down. He comes in at 6’5”, 249 pounds and will surprise you with his speed.
Now, let’s talk about what the film shows. Jean-Bapiste uses his lanky frame to his advantage as he is able to use his hands and long arms to keep himself from getting inside of the offensive tackle. His best strength on film seems to be rushing upfield and then using his hands to get back underneath. This is a credit to his agility and speed as he can keep the QB in the pocket with his speed and athleticism. What you won’t see on film is a lot of plays in the run game. I would consider this his biggest weakness as his build doesn’t provide a lot of strength in the run game. My biggest question is how many snaps he will get in run situations compared to more of a vyper role in a Marcus Freeman/Al Golden defense.
I reached out to a friend who is a life-long Buckeye fan and he said “A former 4 star that had some expectations he didn’t quite live up to, but with a crowded DE room it was just hard to find his footing. He shows flashes of being really good. He was out there on 3rd down a lot because he was good at getting to the QB. Think he will do very well at ND because he has a chance to be the #1 DE there and just hasn’t got the snaps to show he can be productive”. I think this was a perfect way to sum it up as he has seen him play for the last few years.
I am very excited to see him land here at Notre Dame and I’m pretty sure we will see him on the field a lot this fall! Go Irish!
Photo: Sports Illustrated
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