Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman will not play for the Fighting Irish in the 2023 Sun Bowl. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Notre Dame's Sam Hartman and North Carolina's Drake Maye are the latest quarterbacks to announce that they will skip college football's postseason so they can prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, they said on social media. Hartman and Maye made the announcements Monday night. Maye and Southern Californian quarterback Caleb Williams are expected to be among the first players selected in the draft. Williams previously announced he would skip the postseason. Advertisem*nt
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday in New York City, has not said if he will play again for the Tigers.
"To college football: You've been my world for as long as I can remember -- dreaming as a kid of the big games, taking the field with thousands of fans screaming my name," Hartman said in a video posted to Instagram.
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"Although some games didn't go my way and some moments left unsettled, I cherish you and the memories you allowed me to create through hardship and defeat, mentors and lessons, and unselfish teammates that helped guide me along the way.
"Although my journey of football is not yet finished, a part of me will always be with you. Thank you for allowing me to stick around and I hope you had as much fun as I did."
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Hartman, who transferred from Wake Forest to Notre Dame last off-season, completed 63.5% of his throws for 2,689 yards, 24 scores and eight interceptions in 12 games for the Fighting Irish.
He finished his collegiate career with 15,656 passing yards, 134 touchdown tosses and 49 interceptions. His passing yardage and touchdown totals rank fifth and third, respectively, in the NCAA since 1956.
Hartman ranks third in total yards (16,634) and second in touchdowns responsible for (155). He is not projected to be a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which will be held from April 25 to 27 in Detroit.
Maye is being projected as the No. 1 overall pick in some mock drafts. The North Carolina quarterback completed 63.3% of his throws for 3,608 yards, 24 scores and nine interceptions in 12 games this season for the Tar Heels. He also ran for 449 yards and nine touchdowns on 112 carries.
"Tar Heel Nation, the best fans out there," Maye wrote on X. "You have made my time at UNC truly special, thank y'all. I have decided to forego the bowl game and declare for the NFL Draft. Forever and always, go Heels!"
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Bowl season will start Saturday with seven games and run through the Jan. 8 College Football Playoff title game.
Georgia Southern will play Ohio in the Myrtle Beach Bowl to launch the postseason at 11 a.m. EST Saturday on ESPN.
North Carolina will face West Virginia on Dec. 27 in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. That game will air at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Notre Dame, the No. 16 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, will meet No. 20 Oregon State at 2 p.m. Dec. 29 in the Sun Bowl. That game will air on CBS.
Redshirt freshman Conner Harrell is now expected to be the Tar Heels' starting quarterback. Notre Dame will most likely turn to redshirt freshman Steve Angeli to be its starting quarterback in the Sun Bowl.
On Friday, Fighting Irish right tackle Blake Fisher also declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and opted out of the Sun Bowl. Fighting Irish left tackle Joe Alt, a projected first-round pick, isn't expected to play, either.
Read More
- Ex-Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman to transfer to Notre Dame
- LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels wins 2023 Heisman Trophy
- College Football Playoff, FSU-Georgia headline 43-game bowl schedule
- Topics
- College Football
- Heisman Trophy
- Notre Dame
