Potential Notre Dame football breakout listed among the most important players to decide the playoff race

When you think of team and program success, quarterbacks are the ones who are mentioned most. It is not only the most important position in football, but arguably in all of sports. Without a difference maker under center, teams are usually left stagnated.

Providing a different perspective, Bruce Feldman from The Athletic released an article highlighting ten players that could decide the playoff race. That included a slightly surprising pick for Notre Dame , true freshman left tackle Anthonie Knapp .

Here is what Feldman had to say about Knapp:

Anthonie Knapp , LT, Notre Dame

The Irish took a gut punch when promising sophomore left tackle Charles Jagusah was lost for the season to injury (torn right pectoral muscle) early in training camp . Tosh Baker , who has a lot of experience, struggled shifting into Jagusah’s old spot. Knapp, a 6-4, 291-pound true freshman from Georgia, was ranked as only a three-star by 247Sports, but he has been a pleasant surprise in preseason camp. Notre Dame should have one of its most athletic and best defenses in years. Riley Leonard is a very athletic dual-threat QB to go with a deep backfield and good speed at the skill slots. Replacing Joe Alt , the best O-lineman in the NFL Draft, was a big enough challenge. Now it appears Knapp will try and handle replacing the guy who was replacing the guy. Facing a Mike Elko defense in a very loud place like Texas A&M’s Kyle Field in the opener is a really tough ask, if Knapp is indeed the starting left tackle. But if the Irish can hold up there, Knapp develops over the course of the season and the position doesn’t undermine their offense, Notre Dame has the talent to be a Playoff team.

The left tackle position has been an interesting one to watch for the Irish. After starting left tackle Charles Jagusah was lost for the season a couple of weeks ago, speculation about a replacement quickly followed.

Graduate student Tosh Baker was the first person mentioned after essentially losing the right tackle battle to Aamil Wagner. Baker seemed to be getting the nod from offensive line coach Joe Rudolph, and people assumed that was going to be the direction they went.

Then seemingly out of nowhere, Knapp became a name for Notre Dame fans to know. As the Georgia native started getting first team reps, it seems like more and more that might be the move they make. Now according to several sources, Knapp is the favorite to start at left tackle against Texas A&M on August 31st.

That will be a massive test against Nic Scourton and the other talented Aggie defensive linemen. How well Knapp performed, as well as the other offensive linemen, can make or break the season for Notre Dame.