Listed Measurements: 6-foot, 200 pounds
2018-19 year, eligibility: Incoming freshman with four years of eligibility remaining, including the 2018 season.
Depth chart: Moala joins a crowded depth chart at safety and does so along with two classmates of whom much more is expected. In the near-term, Moala is more likely to work with the scout team defense than he is to spend any time studying junior field safety Alohi Gilman’s footwork.
Recruiting: Coming from Notre Dame’s neighboring city of Mishawaka, Ind., and Penn High School, Moala earned his scholarship offer in one sub-five-second span at an on-campus camp in June of 2017 with a 4.45-second 40-yard dash. He still had interest from Iowa, Nebraska and Vanderbilt, but Moala’s decision was a quick and simple one once he had the offer following the Irish Invasion workout.
QUOTE(S)
Moala is more than just a speedster, packing a good amount of muscle on a compact frame, as well. In that respect, he is not simply a local storyline.
“Another outstanding young player who can come in and help us right away on special teams,” Irish cornerbacks coach Todd Lyght said on National Signing Day. “With his combination of speed, size and strength, it makes him a very dangerous freshman coming in. He’s really going to push all the safeties in front of him and he’s going to compete early and right away.”
Lyght’s description of Moala is a bit lengthier and more detailed than what was offered by safeties coach Terry Joseph because Joseph joined the Notre Dame staff after Moala had already signed his National Letter of Intent during December’s early signing period.
“I’ve just gotten to watch his film here the last few days,” Joseph said. “Again, you see a guy who is athletic, big and has a chance to be a physical ballplayer for us.”
WHAT WAS SAID WHEN MOALA’S NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT ARRIVED
“The local product can turn some heads utilizing that speed in some coverage units, perhaps. … Irish coach Brian Kelly has often found ways to make the most of under-the-radar prospects. Not meant as a direct comparison, but rather as a name that pops to mind when making that claim: Former Notre Dame defensive back Matthias Farley became a reliable defender during his time with the Irish and now has an NFL career to speak of. Moala most likely will not reach such heights, but his slim recruiting profile should not rule it out by any means.”
2018 OUTLOOK
It would be a shock to see Moala break into the two-deep on the defensive depth chart this season. Four veterans are most likely to fill that much with Moala’s classmates — early-enrolled Houston Griffith and incoming Derrik Allen — nipping at their heels.
Instead, Moala may become a great test case for learning how Notre Dame handles the new freshman eligibility rules as they pertain to special teams focus. An obvious parallel would be now-senior Nicco Fertitta, also a hard-hitting, compact safety. As a freshman in 2015, Fertitta appeared in 11 games and made one tackle. If not for the change in eligibility options, Moala would seem to be on that path this season. Now, though, it could make sense to trot him out on special teams in only four games.
There are a multitude of questions about how each school and respective coaching staff will handle this newfound eligibility and no two cases will be exactly alike, but a few Irish freshmen are devoted to special teams every year. Seeing Moala’s usage could set a precedent for these instances at Notre Dame in the future.
The hometown hero is Irish!
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 20, 2017
Join us in welcoming @PaulMoala to the family.#GoIrish ☘ #IrishBouND18 pic.twitter.com/CWJoxNLXGP
DOWN THE ROAD
Joining the roster the same year as two four-stars at the same position is a tough challenge to future playing time and one Moala will need to overcome if he wants to ever be a defensive contributor. His difference in style, however, could create a few specific opportunities.
Excelling on special teams comes across as a cliché, but if doing so showcases Moala’s physicality and ability to fit a gap, then he could see future use against run-focused offenses, as well.
NOTRE DAME 99-to-2:
No. 99 Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle, senior
No. 98 Ja’Mion Franklin, defensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 97 Micah Dew-Treadway, defensive tackle, senior
No. 95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle, sophomore
No. 94 Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle, sophomore
No. 91 Ade Ogundeji, defensive end, junior
No. 89 Brock Wright, tight end, sophomore
No. 88 Javon McKinley, receiver, junior
No. 87 Michael Young, receiver, sophomore
No. 86 Alizé Mack, tight end, senior
No. 85 George Takacs, tight end, early-enrolled freshman
No. 85 Tyler Newsome, punter and captain, fifth-year senior
No. 84 Cole Kmet, tight end, sophomore
No. 83 Chase Claypool, receiver, junior
No. 82 Nic Weishar, tight end, fifth-year senior
No. 81 Miles Boykin, receiver, senior
No. 80 Micah Jones, receiver, early-enrolled freshman
No. 78 Tommy Kraemer, right guard, junior
No. 76 Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman, sophomore
No. 75 Josh Lugg, offensive lineman, sophomore
No. 74 Liam Eichenberg, starting left tackle, junior
No. 72 Robert Hainsey, right tackle, sophomore
No. 71 Alex Bars, left guard and captain, fifth-year senior
No. 70 Luke Jones, offensive lineman, incoming freshman
No. 69 Aaron Banks, offensive tackle, sophomore
No. 68 Jarrett Patterson, offensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 60 Cole Mabry, offensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 57 Trevor Ruhland, offensive lineman, senior
No. 57 (theoretically) Jayson Ademilola, defensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 56 John Dirksen, offensive lineman, incoming freshman
No. 55 Jonathan Bonner, defensive tackle, fifth-year senior
No. 54 John Shannon, long snapper, junior
No. 53 Khalid Kareem, defensive end, junior
No. 53 Sam Mustipher, center and captain, fifth-year senior
No. 52 Bo Bauer, linebacker, early-enrolled freshman
No. 47 Kofi Wardlow, defensive end, sophomore
No. 45 Jonathan Jones, linebacker, junior
No. 44 Jamir Jones, defensive end, junior
No. 42 Julian Okwara, defensive end, junior
No. 41 Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle, sophomore
No. 40 Drew White, linebacker, sophomore
No. 39 Jonathan Doerer, kickoff specialist, sophomore
No. 34 Jahmir Smith, running back, early-enrolled freshman
No. 33 Shayne Simon, linebacker, incoming freshman
No. 31 Jack Lamb, linebacker, early-enrolled freshman
No. 30 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, linebacker, sophomore
No. 29 Ovie Oghoufo, linebacker, early-enrolled freshman
No. 28 Nicco Fertitta, safety, senior
No. 27 Julian Love, cornerback, junior, second-team All-American
No. 25 Braden Lenzy, receiver, incoming freshman
No. 24 Tommy Tremble, tight end, incoming freshman
No. 24 Nick Coleman, defensive back, senior
No. 23 Drue Tranquill, linebacker, two-time captain, fifth-year senior
No. 22 Asmar Bilal, rover, senior
No. 21 Jalen Elliott, safety, junior
No. 20 Shaun Crawford, nickelback, senior
No. 20 C’Bo Flemister, running back, incoming freshman
No. 19 Justin Yoon, placekicker, senior
No. 19 Justin Ademilola, defensive end, incoming freshman
No. 18 Joe Wilkins, cornerback, incoming freshman
No. 17 Isaiah Robertson, safety-turned-rover, sophomore
No. 16 Noah Boykin, cornerback, incoming freshman
No. 15 D.J. Morgan, safety-turned-linebacker, junior
No. 15 Phil Jurkovec, quarterback, consensus four-star incoming freshman
No. 14 Devin Studstill, safety, junior
No. 13 Lawrence Keys, receiver, incoming freshman
MEDICAL EXEMPTION
No. 35 David Adams, linebacker, sophomore
OUTGOING TRANSFER
No. 11 Freddy Canteen, receiver, outgoing transfer
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