UHND’s annual “Now or Never” series has covered senior safety Elijah Shumate as well as senior wide receivers Amir Carlisle and Chris Brown. The series continues with junior cornerback Devin Butler as he competes with a bevy of talented underclassmen for an expanded role within Notre Dame’s defense.
Pedigree
Devin Butler was a 3-star cornerback prospect from Washington, D.C. Though unranked nationally, Butler was rated as the No. 3 high school prospect in the District of Columbia’s area and held offers from successful power five programs such as Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Butler was recruited by then-Notre Dame defensive coordinator, Bob Diaco, who had strict profile requirements by position. Standing a length 6-foot-1, Butler had the reach and skill set Diaco was seeking for a zone coverage cornerback.
Reason for Optimism
The strongest reason for optimism regarding Butler this fall is the experience he gained in 2014 while helping fill in for departed star cornerback KeiVarae Russell as a member of the infamous “Frozen Five.” Butler played in all 13 games for Notre Dame last season and started two, filling in whenever Cole Luke or Cody Riggs were sidelined with injury. The highlight of Butler’s season came against Purdue when he intercepted a Danny Etling pass in the fourth quarter, a play that ended any hope of a comeback by the Boilermakers.
Reason for Doubt
The doubt Notre Dame fans should feel toward a successful season for Devin Butler is through no fault of his own. The District of Columbia native’s career trajectory went off-kilter when defensive coordinator Bob Diaco left to become the next head coach at the University of Connecticut. Diaco’s replacement, Brian VanGorder, prefers man coverage from his secondary, a problematic development for Butler, who was recruited to Notre Dame due to his zone coverage skill set.
Despite playing in a system that does not cater to his strengths, Butler played admirably in 2014, securing his only career interception against Purdue and recording two pass breakups against Arizona State. But his lack of speed – Butler was listed as having a 4.64 40-yard dash time in high school – limits his ceiling for effective man coverage.
One of the most important elements of playing man coverage is having the speed to play over mistakes. To put Butler’s 40-yard dash time in perspective, star cornerback KeiVarae Russell posted a video in March displaying his blazing 4.34 speed, a time that solidifies his status as a lockdown corner and surely has NFL scouts salivating. Notre Dame’s other starting cornerback, Cole Luke, has an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.5 seconds. Such speed allows Russell and Luke to recover should they be beaten initially by an opposing receiver, a margin of error Butler simply does not have, and what ultimately caused him to surrender touchdown passes to Louisville and Arizona State after being beaten off the line of scrimmage.
Outlook for 2015
What should Notre Dame fans expect from Butler in 2015? It’s understandable why some may feel glum about his prospects. With Cody Riggs departed to the NFL and Russell yet to return to campus, Devin Butler saw plenty of practice reps during Notre Dame’s spring practice session, yet was ultimately surpassed by talented sophomore Nick Watkins on the depth chart. Further clouding his future is incoming true freshman Shaun Crawford, an extremely talented cornerback expected to compete for immediate playing time.
While Butler’s future at Notre Dame may not include being a full time starter at cornerback, it also does not entail being buried on the depth chart. In addition to providing reliable experience and depth at the cornerback position, Butler is a valuable contributor on Notre Dame’s special teams unit, and anyone who has read the story of Devin and his brother knows Notre Dame can expect leadership from the former Gonzaga High School standout. But most importantly, the potential exists for Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly to switch Butler to safety, a position he would likely be much better suited for in Brian VanGorder’s scheme.
Notre Dame fans should keep an eye on Devin Butler in fall camp. If Butler is switched to safety he could provide depth at a position of need, and could possibly reinvent himself in the process.
Scott Janssen is a blogger for the Huffington Post and has authored several nationally-featured articles, including an appearance on MSNBC as a sports contributor. He talks football 24 hours a day, much to the chagrin of his wife and those around him. Scott can be reached at scottjanssenhp@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter.
With Watkins and Crawford as CBs, I expect Devin Butler, without a slew of injuries occurring at CB, will end up at safety and hopefully be a valued contributor sooner than later. If that move isn’t regarded or successful, Butler may be headed to transfer to another defensive scheme that better fits his zone-coverage skill set.