Does Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman Have an NFL Future?

Notre Dame quarterback (QB) Sam Hartman is an interesting prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.

He transferred from Wake Forest this past January after throwing his 108th career touchdown (TD) pass in the ACC (which made him the all-time ACC leader in touchdown passes).

Clutchpoints helped put that number into perspective stating that’s a record QB Trevor Lawrence could not even reach. Granted, Lawrence played three years at Clemson and Hartman was at Wake Forest for five.

The article went on to state Hartman had thrown a TD in 30 consecutive games (which represented the longest streak in the FBS.

Hartman holds the single-season passing yardage record at Wake Forest (2021: 4,228 yards). He also tossed the most touchdowns (39) in a season in school history that same year, and in 2022 he tied an ACC record with six touchdowns in a game against Clemson.

All told he passed for 12,967 yards, 110 TDs, and 41 interceptions during his time playing for the Demon Deacons.

What does Hartman look like on game film?

He looks like a tough and efficient game manager who’s inconsistent in producing big plays, but capable of doing so.

Defenses couldn’t afford to fall asleep on Hartman because he showed he had the arm to beat them downfield sometimes.

Mostly, he was busy attacking defenses in the short to intermediate route ranges in a “slow-mesh” offense. This is a very slow-developing RPO (run-pass option) offensive scheme when the QB puts the ball on the belly of the running back (appearing to be a hand-off) and then at the last possible second either letting the running back take off and run with the ball, or the QB pulls the ball out and throws it instead.

Hartman would hold the football in the running back’s stomach for about 2.5 seconds while reading the defense to decide which option to choose.

This left Hartman shallow in the pocket at times (close to the line of scrimmage) and vulnerable to getting hit as he threw or susceptible to being sacked. Despite having decent mobility, Hartman took 35 sacks in 2021 and 34 sacks last season.

When he wasn’t in that slow-mesh “look,” he was a classic pro-style QB who gave strong Baker Mayfield (Bucs’ QB) and Sam Darnold (49ers’ QB) vibes while watching him play.

The big problem

The No. 1 thing that makes Hartman a strong candidate for being a career NFL backup (and keeping him from being considered a potential starter at the next level) is his downfield ball security issue.

In these seven games, opposing defenses were able to disrupt 27 passes (3.86 per game average) that I charted while studying this block of game film.

This is one of the very highest per-game averages I’ve seen in this draft class.

Hartman ended up throwing 12 interceptions in 2022. After watching all of Hartman’s snaps last season, I walked away thinking he has decent – – not good – – and far from great downfield ball placement.

It’s enough of a concern for me to drop his grade, and while in his spring report, I considered him a borderline NFL starter, I can’t anymore.

Arriving at a final grade before the draft is a process.

#10 Sam Hartman 6-foot-1, 210 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: Fourth-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 0.0% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of July 14, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Previous article (2022: 5 games evaluated) Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman Borderline NFL Starter

Additional 2022 game film reviewed: Missouri, North Carolina, Liberty, NC State, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and Army (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 270/428 (63.1%), 3701 yards, 38TD, 12 INT, 34 sacks, long-68

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Heady mobile and competitive game manager with above-average arm strength. Inconsistent going through progressions after setting up. Extremely poised in the face of the rush. Downfield-minded to the point he doesn’t always sense pass rushers. Inconsistent intermediate and deep ball placement. Gets in trouble when trying to do too much. Tends to overthrow or place too low at times. Average at putting receivers in position to pick up yardage after the catch. Tough and willing runner capable of picking up smaller chunks of yards here and there.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Ball security?

2. Downfield ball placement?

3. How does he adjust to life after the “slow-mesh” offense?

4. Cut down in sacks taken?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.