10 most important college football players returning to school over entering draft

Top 10 college football players returning to school over entering draft

No. 8: Sam Hartman, Notre Dame QB

It’s wild to think that Sam Hartman has already played five seasons in college and he’s not done yet.

Hartman decided not to put his name in the NFL Draft pool after throwing for 38 touchdowns and 3,701 yards at Wake Forest in 2022. He did put his name in the transfer portal, landing with Notre Dame for one last hurrah.

It was an interesting choice considering the strength of next year’s draft class at quarterback but Hartman is betting on himself and the Irish to make a splash. And it could be a big one.

Notre Dame’s quarterback play in 2022 was less than stellar and an upgrade at quarterback could be all they need to go on a tear. They won nine games with Drew Pyne after all and there aren’t many better passers in the country than Hartman, who has 12,967 yards and 110 touchdowns in his career.

A proven and productive quarterback like Hartman will give offensive coordinator Tommy Rees a veteran figure to build his offense around, like Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan who led the Irish to an 11-2 record in 2021.