Pre Draft Peek

Using ESPN’s Draft Tracker Grading Scale* Talking Irish quick hits the Notre Dame Draft prospects.

Braxton Cave 70 Solid Prospect.  Cave was a cornerstone of the Irish Offensive Line and was instrumental in not only developing a young Golson but was able to work with multiple quarterbacks over the past couple of year.  Good size and technique and very good strength, and he should be a good pick up for any team looking to add depth at the center position.

Jordan Cowart 69 Good Prospect.  I know Cowart is not a big name in Irish football lore and has had very minimal game time but as a long snapping specialist he did very well.  Recruiting individuals and giving them scholarships for just long snapping is still new and unusual. Drafting and signing players for long snapping is a little rare too.

Tyler Eifert 93 Rare Prospect.  If Eifert is not the best Tight End in the draft he is only a hair behind in the number two position.  Every Irish fan knows how much he has meant to the Notre Dame Offense in the past couple of seasons.  I would like to see him add a few more pounds of muscle and I would have loved to have had him stay one more year (as he had another year of eligibility left).

Michael Golic 21 Borderline Prospect.  Golic has an outstanding football bloodline that may get him a look that otherwise may not happen.  Golic had time where he stepped up and played solid for the Irish and at other times he looked lost out there.

John Goodman 15 Free Agent Prospect. Goodman never lived up to the hype he came to South Bend with.  He did step up to a solid leadership role for the receiver corps his last season and could end up on a practice squad.

Kapron Lewis-Moore 55 Adequate Prospect. Lewis-Moore can in as an outside linebacker and left as a starting defensive end.  Hampered by injuries Moore could have done even more if he did not miss so much time.

Zeke Motta 49 Borderline Prospect.  Motta showed leadership in the defensive backfield for the Irish and would be a solid addition to an NFL organization.

Theo Riddick 65 Good Prospect. Riddick is a dynamic talent that can run and catch the ball making him a useful tool to an NFL offense.  After flip flopping between running back and receiver during his Irish career he proved his worth in the backfield AND the slot.

Jamoris Slaughter 49 Borderline Prospect.  Recently being denied a sixth year of eligibility after numerous injuries Slaughter still should be ready to give it a try at the next level. NFL teams may want to see more of him in a preseason camp before making a commitment.

Manti Te’o 97 Rare Prospect.  Te’o will go down as an all-time great in the Notre Dame Football history books if not all-time college football great.  His online girlfriend debacle may be a little cause for concern for some teams but I doubt it, easy early to mid-first round.

Roby Toma 15 Free Agent Prospect.  Only Toma’s gritty play last season kept him from being listed as "Not a legitimate Prospect".  His best shot making a practice squad.

Cierre Wood 50 Adequate Prospect.  Between sharing carries with Riddick and early season suspension Wood could have improved his draft stock coming back for another year (he had another year of eligibility) being the solid number one back.

*Grading Scale

90-100 Rare Prospect Player demonstrates rare abilities and can create mismatches that have an obvious impact on the game. Is a premier college player that has all the skill to take over a game and play at a championship level. He rates in the top 5 players in the nation at his position and is considered a first round draft prospect.

80-89 Outstanding Prospect Player has abilities to create mismatches versus most opponents in the NFL. A feature player that has an impact on the outcome of the game. Cannot be shut down by a single player and plays on a consistent level week in and week out. He rates in the top 10 at his position and is considered a second round draft prospect.

70-79 Solid Prospect Still a standout player at the college level that is close to being an elite player. He has no glaring weaknesses and will usually win his individual matchups, but does not dominate in every game, especially when matched up against the top players in the country. He will usually rate in the top third of players at his position and is considered a third round draft prospect.

60-69 Good Prospect This player is an good starter that will give a solid effort week in and week out, but he is overmatched versus the better players in the nation. His weaknesses will be exposed against top competition. He is usually a prospect that is missing something from his game. For example, he has the size and skills to be an outstanding prospect, but lacks the speed. He will usually rate in the top half of the players at his position and is considered a middle round draft choice.

50-59 Adequate Prospect These are usually players that play at a high level in college, but lack some measurables or skills to play at that same level in the NFL. He may be a player that has a lot of developmental qualities, or could be a player that will contribute right away on special teams or in a situational capacity. He will usually rate in the second-third at his position and is considered a fifth round draft choice.

21-49 Borderline Draft Prospect These are players that teams like something about, but certainly do not have the full package in terms of NFL talent. A lot of times, teams will take chances on character players or developmental type athletes with this grade. And often, these are players that come from smaller schools or did not standout at the college level. NFL teams are looking for 'diamonds in the rough' with this type of prospect. He will usually rate in the bottom third of players at his position and will be considered a late round draft choice or un-drafted free agent.

20 Free Agent Prospect These are players that did not make our original 'evaluation list' but are prospects that need to be monitored. Especially in the pre-season, these players will fluctuate up and down depending on performance in their final year of eligibility.

10 Not a legitimate Prospect These are players that lack NFL measurable and/or skills. They are players that we feel would not even make a solid contribution as a training camp

Blue and Gold Game at Shamrock Jacks

 

I hope you got your fill of Notre Dame Football yesterday because it won’t be until August when camp opens will we see it again.  Talking Irish will send the next couple of weeks (hey, we have time to kill before August) reviewing what we saw and maybe even learned from the Blue and Gold Game.  Today we will take a surface glace at was picked up on Saturday.

It was what we thought it is was going to be, not a game or even a real scrimmage but a practice.  It was played safe with a number of players kept out with physical limitations that would have not kept them out of an important regular season game. 

The only true thing that a fan wanted to see did happen, no player was hurt.

Blue & Gold Looking Deeper

With Spring practice coming to an end this week and with the upcoming Blue & Gold Game, we thought we would give you a couple of players to keep an eye out for.  You’re going to keep tabs on the likes of Golson, Nix and Tuitt, but there are some players and positions that will be pivotal come fall and Saturday should provide some early insight. 

I wish I could say that for those coming back from injury this would provide great insight. However, the coaching staff is not going to push anyone who is not ready.

The Center position will be one of if not the most important battle (behind running back) going into the season.   Bruce Heggie and Matt Hegarty along with Conor Hanratty were thought to be the players battling for the starting role at center, but the word out of spring camp is that Nick Martin is leading the pack at center.  Martin is listed on the roster as a guard/tackle, but muck like his older brother Zach, his talent allows him to play anywhere on the Offensive Line.

At Running Back, AG III was and is still expected to be the featured back.  However, there is a full stable of contenders, several on campus and a couple more coming in.  As for the Spring Game, I am very interested to see William Mahone.  He is the only back with a complete question mark at the college level.  We have seen glimpses of the other backs - McDaniel and Carlisle have run the ball in game action.  Mahone could be an unexpected surprise this year.

Across the board, the wide receivers will be jockeying for positioning, even T.J. Jones who is the number one receiver has question marks next to his name.  I have a pretty good idea of what most of the receivers can do; the question is what they will do.  As for who to focus on this Saturday, early enrollee freshmen Corey Robinson and James Onwualu are the epitome of potential, with Robinson still learning the game as well as his height potential and Onwualu his reputation of being an athletic and physical football player.

“Tight End U” will continue at Notre Dame with Troy Niklas.  He is just too impressive of a football player to not make that happen.  After Niklas it’s up for grabs with two returning underachieving backups and an early enrollee with potential down the road.  There is a Graduate Student on the roster who has been on the campus for years, but is on the football team for the first time.  Former Irish basketball player Joey Brooks walked on and has made this team and it should be super exciting to see how this 6’ 5” athlete makes the transition from the hardwood to the gridiron.

Even though the defensive backfield feels a little more stable than last season, there are still questions as to depth and playing time.  There could be a couple of starters who helped the Irish to an undefeated regular season who may be bumped for guys returning from injury.  I am curious (for a lack of a better word) to see how performs.

Manti Te’o may be gone but the sky is not falling at the linebacker position.  There is a ton of talent returning in South Bend with a mix of players who have meaningful game experience as well as those who have waiting to show what they can do.  Jarrett Grace has been the “player in waiting” and word out of spring camp is that he is not disappointing.  I can’t wait to see for myself.

Irish fans should feel pretty confident in what they have in the defensive line.  Even the backups have provided us with playing time, giving us insight to their abilities.  Jarron Jones came to South Bend with expectations and questions.  At nearly six and a half feet and 300 lbs., Jones could have just as easily been put on the offensive line.  He took his freshman year to develop into a college player as he had few challenges at the high school level and used his physical advantage to dominate opposing players in Rochester, NY.  Due to the proven depth along the defensive line, Jones does not need and probably won’t play extensively this season but should continue his development to be a force in the future.

Special Teams have not been overly special in recent years, especially on punt return.  I don’t know what to expect in 2013 but it has to get better, right?  We thought that last year and we saw how that went.  C.J. Prosise’s name keeps coming up this spring.  He came to Notre Dame to play in the defensive backfield but I think we will see him catching in the ball on the offensive side of the ball this fall.  Also, because of his size, speed and athleticism, he should be returning punts.  I just want to see this guy play.

Players to watch recap: Nick Martin, William Mahone, Corey Robinson, James Onwualu, Joey Brooks, Elijah Shumate, Jarrett Grace, Jarron Jones and C.J. Prosise

Spring Practice Tidbits

Here are some tidbits from just past the half way mark of Spring Practice which will culminate on Saturday April 20 at the Blue & Gold Game.

Golson is growing and cementing his status as starter.

Jarrett Grace and Ben Council are continuing to impress the coaching staff and are looking to compete for starting roles in the fall or at least solid playing time.

Danny Spond is has another injury issue but at least we know what it is and he should be fine.

Amir Carlisle may be injury prone but he bounces back.  He is recovering well from a broken collarbone and participating in limited practice (no contact).  He will NOT play in the Blue & Gold.

Early Enrollee Malik Zaire is showing Kelly his football IQ but should still plan on redshirting.

Nix and Tuitt will have to slim down a bit before fall.   Nix is reported at 347lbs (but who really knows Nix will tell you 280) and should be closer to 325 330lbs and Tuiit is at 322lbs (I’m betting a little higher) and should be closer to 310-315.

Even though Tuitt is recovering from a sports hernia he is expected to play on the 20^th.

Although Troy Niklas is probably going to be the leader no one has really stepped up in the race to be the starting tight end.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered ND Commits – Wide Receiver

Notre Dame’s next great receiver may be on the roster but the next Michael Floyd or Golden Tate may take a bit longer.  Brian Kelly is building solid depth at the wide receiver position and like every other position area, we should expect to see players shuffled around and not being pigeon holed in one specific discipline of a traditional title.  Wide receivers, slot receivers, tight ends and backs catching passes out of the backfield all seem to get blurred and have the ability to be interchanged.  Even so, the Irish will want to develop a deep threat.  This year, Brian Kelly signed four talented players at the wide receiver position with big upsides, but there are some other “athletes” that may end up playing “receiver” during their tenure in South Bend.

Torii Hunter Jr. comes to South Bend with a professional athlete lineage, being son of Major League Baseball Outfield Tori Hunter.  At six feet tall, he has some good height to be a “wide” receiver but at just under 180 lbs., he will need to add some weight.  Hunter is also planning on playing baseball for the Irish.  Initially, I thought due in part to his overall athletic ability he may have an opportunity to see the field in some capacity earlier than later, but after a leg injury suffered during practice for the U.S. Army All American Game, he may be good to go by camp this summer but a redshirt may be in his future.

See for yourself.

William Fuller is another four-star recruit with decent height at 6’1” but like Hunter Jr. needs to put on some weight.  Coming in from a Catholic High School, Notre Dame should be an easy transition for this Pennsylvania stand out.   Fuller played in the Semper Fidelis All American Bowl after he caught 57 passes for 932 yards and eight touchdowns.  Fuller was also a distinguished defensive back in high school.

See for yourself.

James Onwualu was listed as an “Athlete” by many recruiting services, played primarily running back in high school (same as Michael Floyd) but is listed as a wide receiver for the Irish.  As an early enrollee Onwualu will have an opportunity this spring to show off his abilities and give the coaching staff an opportunity see where he will fit best. James Seems to fit with Notre Dame pretty well as an overall individual not just a football player.   He’s got good size and great athletic ability that the coaches are excited about.  I look for James to be on the field one way or another this fall and too work his way into the receiver mix soon as well.

See for yourself.

Corey Robinson could be the perfect diamond in the rough for Kelly’s Irish offense.  Being relatively new to basketball and already standing at 6’4,” this son of former NBA All Star David Robinson (who stands at 7’1”) has great potential.  Robinson was not as highly recruited as many of the other guys in his class, but he has developed into a legitimate Division 1 football target playing in the US Army All American Game.  Robinson will most likely redshirt to add some weight and continue to learn the game and as an early enrollee he’s getting a head start with both this spring.  Much like his father, he is class act and is an outstanding student.

See for yourself.

With Golson developing and Malik Zaire looking like the future heir apparent for Kelly’s offensive system, receivers of all shapes and sizes will continue to be a pivotal cog in the machine.  Those coming to South Bend will need to be flexible in where they can line up and take off from.  I like this class’s diversity of abilities and how their makeup could develop with Golson and Zaire.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered ND Commits – Quarterback

The Irish signed only one quarterback and he is already on campus as an early enrollee.  Currently, it appears Notre Dame should be set at quarterback for several years to come with Everett Golson.  After leading the Irish to the National Championship Game and an undefeated season, and with three years of eligibility left, Golson looks to be the incumbent for the next couple of seasons.  With experienced Tommy Rees as a proven backup and leader and Redshirt Senior Andrew Hendrix there is a solid stable of quarterbacks even with rumored transfer of Gunner Kiel.

Malik Zaire is Everett Golson version 2.0 for Brian Kelly.  At 6’1” 190+lbs., Zaire has many similarities to Golson, and by some accounts, may have more ability and potential.  Zaire looks to be a better pocket passer than Golson, seems to be just as good on his feet and can extend plays.  Zaire had a solid high school career (2012 passing for 1990 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 1120 yards and 9 touchdowns, 2011 passing for 729 yards and 5 touchdowns while rushing for 1093 yards and 15 touchdowns), but lifted himself to another level by making the Elite 11.  Zaire was a bit of a surprise invite to the camp but by the end of the competition he proved he was among the best.

See for yourself

Like Golson, Zaire has the talent to see the field sooner than later, but also like Golson, there is no need to learn the college game and burn a year of eligibility on the field.  Malik should and most likely will redshirt and develop his abilities on the scout team.  Also like Golson, Zaire he could eventually be in Heisman conversations.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered ND Commits – Tight Ends

Notre Dame’s official Signing Day page has two recruits listed for their incoming class - Mike Heuerman and Durham Smythe.  Although both of these young men should have solid collegiate football careers, I would not be surprised to see a few other of their incoming teammates end up seeing some time at the tight end position at some point during their time in South Bend.  I’m not saying they will, but Brian Kelly brings in football players and goes from there. 

Corey Robinson should add height and weight to his 6’5” 195 lb. frame and he will continue to learn the art of receiving, so don’t be shocked to see him line up at tight end before he leaves Notre Dame.  I wouldn’t expect him to be a full-time tight end, but more like a reverse Tyler Eifert; where his was a tight end who split out, Robinson would be a receiver who moves in.  Jacob Matuska is coming to the Irish as a defensive end, but he had a solid high school career on the offensive side of the ball playing tight end.  Chances are there will be little need to bring Jacob back over to play tight end, but you never know.  Lastly, Mike McGlinchey stands out to me as a future tight end.  Currently, he stands somewhere between 6’8” and 6’9” just over 280 lbs., and I just don’t know if he can fill out his tall frame to be a legitimate offensive tackle. 

Mike Heuerman has the potential to see the field sooner than later, pushing through the unproven or underperforming current stable of tight ends.  Heuerman is a decent blocker and an above average receiving tight end.  Heuerman’s first offer came from the Irish and he seems to have a special commitment to Notre Dame, and as an early enrollee, he will have an opportunity to participate in spring practice and show what he has to offer early.

See for yourself.

Durham Smythe committed to Notre Dame later in the process, but at 6’6” 230 lbs., he will be a welcomed addition to Tight End U.  Smythe needs to add weight but does not need to see the field right away.  He could redshirt to learn and grow into a dominant tight end in South Bend.  But with Alex Welch having injury issues and Ben Koyack not developing into what the Irish had been hoping for, Durham may get an early opportunity to crack the depth chart.

See for yourself