We continue our Notre Dame All-Decade team series with a group chock full of high performers during the Brian Kelly era: the wide receivers. From a few Charlie Weis recruits that helped make a massive impact early on and plenty of middle round draft picks throughout the past ten years. Let’s start with the close calls that just didn’t quite make it before getting to the reserves:
Missed the Cut
Equanimeous St. Brown, Davaris Daniels, Chris Brown
Backups
Miles Boykin (2016-2018)
Best Season: (2018) 59 catches, 872 yards, 8 touchdowns
Career: 77 catches, 1,206 yards, 11 touchdowns
Boykin didn’t put up the same career numbers of others on this list, but from the time he introduced himself to the college football world with his miraculous go-ahead touchdown against LSU in the Citrus Bowl to the close of his career in the College Football Playoff, Boykin was a problem for opposing defenses.
His ability to high point the ball and snatch the ball away from defenders made him a valuable weapon in the red zone. He also came through in big moments in 2018, especially in the second half of games where the outcome hadn’t been decided. In a mid-season, five-game stretch that saw the Irish move their record to 9-0, Boykin delivered seven touchdowns in the second half of those contests (at least one in each) helping Notre Dame pull away or take the lead.
Chris Finke (2016-2019)
Best Season: (2018) 49 catches, 571 yards, 2 touchdowns
Career: 106 catches, 1,251 yards, 8 touchdowns
Finke’s story of a walk-on becoming a starter is a great one. But he wasn’t just a novelty. Although he didn’t contribute much during his first two seasons, Finke fit his role as slot receiver perfectly for his final two seasons. The rapport he developed with quarterback Ian Book meant that in tight situations, even on an offense with top producers like Miles Boykin and Chase Claypool, he was looking Finke’s way.
That he reserved the top two most important catches of his career for games against Michigan and USC, facing off against two hated rivals chock full of blue chip recruits, will forever bring a smile to my face. His “Moss-ing” of Michigan defensive back Matt Mitchell was as surprising as it was spectacular and it helped propel Notre Dame to a season-opening victory. Then he capped the season with his 24-yard go-ahead touchdown catch to invigorate a struggling Notre Dame offense. That the win propelled the Irish to the College Football Playoff was just an added bonus. His early struggles in 2019 were noticeable, but he finished off his career with at least five catches in four of the last five Notre Dame games – all wins.
T.J. Jones (2010-2013)
Best Season: (2013) 70 catches, 1,108 yards, 9 touchdowns
Career: 181 catches, 2,429 yards, 19 touchdowns
To call someone solid isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. To say someone’s development remained steady throughout their entire career isn’t exciting. But for as unremarkable a career TJ Jones seemed to have relative to the high points or career numbers of other Irish receivers, Jones was an underappreciated player for the Irish. I have heard him described as a slower Will Fuller with better hands and that makes a lot of sense.
Jones currently sits second in Notre Dame history in catches while he’s seventh in receiving yards and touchdowns. When the Irish offense centered around Theo Riddick and Tyler Eifert during the 2012 season, Jones was a reliable third option. And when both Riddick and Eifert left before the next season, Jones was there to pick up the slack catching 70 balls and going over 1,000 yards.
Next Up – The Starters: