SOUTH BEND —Just because Virginia Tech transfer Jalen Stroman is sidelined this spring, that doesn’t mean he’s losing ground in the safety search at Notre Dame football.

Even as he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a broken right clavicle, the same injury that cost him all but 24 defensive snaps with the Hokies last fall, Stroman is making the most of his spring practice assignments.

“Mental reps are still valuable reps,” defensive coordinator Chris Ash said, “so our expectation is that he’s learning everything. We just can’t really evaluate what he can do movement-wise and what he is as a playmaker other than what we saw on film from Virginia Tech.”

At 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, Stroman made 55 tackles in 2023 with four pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. His highlight game was a 14-tackle outburst in a 24-17 loss to Purdue.

A month later, in early October, Stroman made 10 tackles in a 39-17 loss at Florida State.

“Kind of like what we talk about you want on defense,” Ash said. “He was fast and physical.”

Being long levered for his size, Stroman said, allows him to make plays in the box and downfield.

“I get to the ball a lot faster,” he said. “I can go make tackles. I can do anything on the field, honestly. … I see myself getting faster, stronger every day.”

Still looking for his first career interception, Stroman has forced two fumbles and has four career pass breakups.

With two-time All-American Xavier Watts headed to the NFL and Northwestern grad transfer Rod Heard II exhausting his eligibility, Stroman should get every opportunity to work alongside third-year standout Adon Shuler come fall camp.

The two have bonded in film study and downtime before and after practice sessions. Alabama graduate transfer Devonta Smith, the frontrunner to succeed Jordan Clark at slot corner, has been a key figure in Stroman’s transition as well.

“Adon has definitely been a great help,” Stroman said. “Devonta Smith also has been a great help. As transfers, me and him, we both know football. We talk football all the time.”

While third-year safety Luke Talich has been spotted working with the first team in Stroman’s absence, the former Hokie is never far from the action or the teaching points that follow.

“He’s out in the walkthroughs, so he’s getting the mental reps,” Ash said of Stroman. “He’s locked in on the sidelines, paying attention. He’s developing. He’s a pro, man. He just goes and does his work every day and he's locked in and he’s studying.”

As a veteran with nine career starts, Stroman isn’t afraid to speak up in meetings.

“He’s got great questions,” Ash said. “Our expectation is when he’s healthy he’ll be ready to go.”

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.