Going back home
With the 8th pick of the 5th round in the NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Notre Dame linebacker, JD Bertrand.
JD Bertrand is a Falcon.
With the 143rd overall pick in the fifth round, the @AtlantaFalcons select @JDBertrand1, linebacker, Notre Dame.#NFLDraft | #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/PEL9USTFJU
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) April 27, 2024
Bertrand was a member of Notre Dame’s 2019 recruiting class, and like Liufau, there was talk of possibly grey-shirting as there wasn’t a scholarship spot available at the time. That hurdle quickly cleared up over the summer, and Bertrand red-shirted his freshman season after seeing limited action.
In 2021, Bertrand took over as a starter at linebacker for the Irish and had a really good season as he led the team in tackles with 101. Bertrand’s 2022 and 2023 season mirrored eachother in many ways. He was a captain both seasons — and he continued to lead the team in tackles both years which meant that he was the team tackling leader for three straight seasons.
Bertrand is from Georgia so going down to Atlanta — going back home — will be a huge help in him as he begins his pro career. Without a doubt, Bertrand will be a special teams standout right away, and in typical JD Bertrand fashion, I expect him to work himself into a position to start for Atlanta sooner than later.
With the 143rd pick, the Atlanta Falcons drafted JD Bertrand (Go Irish!)
My model ranked him 269th
Best available players
55. Austin Booker EDGE7
65. Jaylin Simpson S7
66. Kris Abrams-Draine CB11
67. Cedric Johnson EDGE10#NFLDraft #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/GUNLEMfLiq— Notre Dame Football Stats & Analytics (@ND_FB_Analytics) April 27, 2024