Category: Irish in NFL

Notre Dame’s CB Pride Predicted to Put Up Impressive NFL Combine Numbers

Notre Dame Troy Pride predicted to wow NFL scouts at Combine this week.

Notre Dame Troy Pride Predicted to Put Up Impressive NFL Combine Numbers

The underwear Olympics or better known as the NFL Combine is underway with players arriving and getting measured before hitting the field on Thursday for the beginning of the workouts. The NFL is always looking for the next group of elite athletes and yesterday Charles Power of 247Sports predicted 10 players the NFL will fall in love with over the next week.

Power named an Irish player, although not one you would have thought, CB Troy Pride, as a player with the potential of wow many NFL scouts. Defensive backs are coveted by their size and speed, and it is anticipated that Pride will put up impressive 40 yard-dash times. Power noted that “Pride was a state champion in the 100 and 200 meters in high school and ran track for the Irish, hitting the 10.4’s in the 100 meters.” Pride has made it know that he wants to post the faster 40 time ever for an Irish player at the combine, stating his goal is to run a 4.2, which is blazing fast.

Pride made some waves at the Senior Bowl and will look to continue to impress the NFL scouts. Pride unofficially stands at 5’11” and weights 194-pounds, which is great size for a corner and with the elite speed that he possesses, Pride should be a prospect that sees his draft stock rise over the next few days.

Pro Football Focus Mock Draft Puts One Notre Dame Player in Top 20

What is important to remember is how PFF chooses to do their mock drafts as its who the experts would pick there, not who they think teams are going to take.  So I guess “mock” is used even more liberally here.

Will a Notre Dame player go in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft?  Time will tell but if someone does it appears the best bets are either tight end Cole Kmet or edge rusher Julian Okwara.

Pro Football Focus released their latest mock draft on Monday and in it was a Notre Dame player not just in the first round, but in the top 20.

Austin Gayle of PFF had Julian Okwara going to the Las Vegas Raiders at 19 overall with the folllowing reasoning:

There’s currently not enough hype surrounding Okwara. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Notre Dame product is a freakish athlete with absurd bend and flexibility that defensive line coaches salivate over at the next level. His technique will require improvement at the next level, but he still earned a 90.4 PFF pass-rushing grade before his 2019 season was cut short due to injury. His pass-rushing grade improved every year of his career with the Fighting Irish.

What is important to remember is how PFF chooses to do their mock drafts as its who the experts would pick there, not who they think teams are going to take.  So I guess “mock” is used even more liberally here.

What is worth noting however is how sure they seem about Okwara even with him breaking his fibula against Duke and not playing in Notre Dame’s final four games of the 2019 season.

NFL Combine: Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet Measures out Massively

Not a surprise at all but Kmet measured out as a massive human being compared to his tight end peers at the start of the combine.

Notre Dame and St. Viator High School (Arlington Heights, Illinois) product Cole Kmet met the NFL world officially Monday morning at the NFL Combine, weighing in and getting sized up in front of the masses.

Kmet is seen by most as the best tight end in the draft and at worst, some rank him second.  Not a surprise at all but Kmet measured out as a massive human being compared to his tight end peers at the start of the combine.

Cole Kmet’s Measureables:
Height – 6-5 2/8″
Weight – 262 pounds
Hands – 10 4/8″
Arms – 33″
Wingspan – 79″

As we know by watching him Kmet is clearly a large piece of furniture to have to move.  Here’s how he stacks up, or past, compared to two of the other highest regarded tight ends in the 2020 NFL Draft:

Hunter Bryant of Washington:
Height – 6-2 2/8″
Weight – 248 pounds
Hands – 10″ right hand, 10 3/8″ left hand
Arms – 32″
Wingspan – 76 4/8″

Brycen Hopkins of Purdue:
Height – 6-3 7/8″
Weight – 245 pounds
Hands – 10 1/8″
Arms – 32 1/8″
Wingspan – 76″

As you can see he’s bigger than his biggest competition to be the first overall tight end taken in this draft. The question this week isn’t so much is he the best tight end prospect in this draft but it’s more about if Kmet’s workouts mirror that and make him that much better of a prospect than any other at the position.

A great work out can make his value appear that much better and increase his chances as a the first rounder. A workout more on the level with Hopkins, Bryant or others and be may still be seen as the top tight end prospect but the need to take him considerably ahead of the others wouldn’t be there.

Here’s to hoping Kmet rips up the workouts this weekend.

Chase Claypool An NFL Combine Measurement Monster

Claypool would present an ultimate weapon for teams at the tight end position

Well, the meat market that is the NFL Draft Combine is under way and a Notre Dame wide receiver is already making waves just by stepping on the scales and having his measurements taken.

None of the tight end talk is truly news. But it’s been more of a curiosity than something that is backed up by actual data. Now we have that.

In today’s NFL, Claypool would present an ultimate weapon for teams at the tight end position. His willingness to block and aggressiveness would allow him to play in-line if needed while his experience at wide receiver would allow him to be flexed out whenever the team that drafts him sees fit.

Now let’s see how he runs!

Notre Dame’s Okwara named Top 5 DE Prior to NFL Combine

Notre Dame’s DE Okwara named Top 5 DE prior to NFL Combine.

The NFL’s job fair aka Draft Combine is set to begin on Thursday and Rivals has ranked where they view players prior to the players getting a chance to show off their athletic prowess. Last week Mike Farrell and Adam Gorney ranked the best defensive ends before they work out in front of NFL brass.

Notre Dame’s Julian Okwara was named among the Top 5, 4th overall, among his peers at the position. They noted that the fourth-year player was on the field for just 35 games, but the production was there. Okwara was a force against opposing offensive lines, ranking up 15.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.

Although Okwara needed work when he first arrived at South Bend, Farrell saw a player that “developed into one of the better pass rushers in the country and his technique is flawless. He’s also very good against the run in addition to his pass rushing stills.”

Okwara will show the NFL scouts his skills when the defensive line group works out on Saturday and you can see that on the NFL Network. Okwara’s name has popped up on a few 1st round mock drafts and with a good showing this weekend, him name could be popping up on more in the future.

NFL Draft: Is Troy Pride, Jr. Still A Sleeper? USA TODAY Says Yes

His numbers don’t jump off the page at you as he intercepted four passes in his Notre Dame career which feels rather low for a two-year starter and regular contributor for even longer.

If you’ve been paying attention to NFL Mock Drafts or the off-season work to get to April’s NFL Draft, a Notre Dame player you’ve heard great compliments about over the last month has been cornerback Troy Pride, Jr.

Pride was a mainstay in the Notre Dame secondary over the last three seasons, appearing in 37 games in that time.  His numbers don’t jump off the page at you as he intercepted four passes in his Notre Dame career which feels rather low for a two-year starter and regular contributor for even longer.

He also started all 13 games on Notre Dame’s 2019 squad that not only went 11-2 but also allowed the third-fewest pass yards in all of college football.  If he wasn’t intercepting passes, he certainly wasn’t allowing big plays either.

Pride’s speed has been discussed at length and will be on full display at the upcoming NFL Combine.  For those paying attention he’s been seemingly climbing draft boards for a while now and his rise doesn’t feel like a surprise.

The USA TODAY Wednesday gave names of 11 draft sleepers and mentions Pride:
It’s hard to fathom a two-year starter at Notre Dame who also ran track would end up on this list. Pride, however, hasn’t received widespread recognition, even after an impressive Senior Bowl week in which he flustered nearly all of his opposition. At 5-11 and 195 pounds, he won’t be confused for Richard Sherman or Patrick Peterson, particularly given he recorded just four interceptions in three years. But his quick feet and recognition skills allow him to stick close to pass catchers and deny them any easy opportunities.

His size will keep him from ever being seen as a truly elite NFL prospect and if he his ultimately limited in the league, that’ll likely be why.  But his tape doesn’t lie and giving up a few well-thrown back shoulder throws this year may have urked some Notre Dame fans, but his skills and speed speak for themselves.

He might not be some superstar in the NFL but assuming health (which can be risky) I have trouble believing his skill-set and speed won’t keep him cashing league checks for a good amount of time.

Notre Dame TE Kmet Compared to Future Hall of Famer

Notre Dame TE Kmet ranked as best prospect at his position, compared to future Hall of Famer.

The NFL Combine is quick approaching, it beings this Sunday and many outlets will be looking forward to seeing which prospects stand out. Rivals recently has been ranking the best players at their positions and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Notre Dame TE Cole Kmet is ranked among the best in the group.

Adam Gorney and Mike Farrell ranked Kmet as the best prospect at his position, while Farrell gave an explanation as to why they believe the former Irish star is ranked over his draft competition. Farrell initially saw Kmet as a “prospect who could stretch the field and was also very physical. I love the way his game translates to the NFL. He’s going to be the next Rob Gronkowski.”

That is certainly high praise for Kmet although he wasn’t as productive in college as Gronk was, but a comparison to the future Hall of Famer really puts perspective on the kind of player Kmet can be at the next level.

Kmet should have his name called early in the NFL Draft which begins on April 23rd and runs through the 25th. If Kmet impresses during the combine, he has a chance to hear his name being called very early in the draft, potentially in the first round. It will be fun watching Kmet perform at the next level and we will all be watching to see if he can become the next Gronkowksi.

Two Notre Dame Players Selected in NFL Mock Drafts

Multiple mock drafts were released yesterday and saw former Irish stars projected to be drafted inside the first two days.

There were multiple NFL mock drafts that were released yesterday and to no one’s surprise two former Irish players will have their names selected early. We have seen other mock drafts with TE Cole Kmet and DE Julian Okwara in the first round but unfortunately for them, if these experts are correct, it will not be until the second round that they will see then don the hats of their next teams.

Starting off with Yahoo Sports Eric Edholm’s mock draft where he projects Kmet being selected 43rd overall by the Chicago Bears. Kmet would be the first tight end off the board and Edholm has some high praise for the former Irish star saying  he “has fascinating upside and could be a very good red-zone target. His blocking needs refinement for sure, but the potential is there.” If Kmet is selected by the Bears, you could very well see him on the field early as there is a huge need there.

Just 5 picks later Edholm has DE Julian Okwara going 48th overall to the New York Jets. The Jets are in need of pass rushers, as they got a total of just 3 sacks out of their defensive end unit last year. If Okwara was to go to the Jets, he also would likely see early playing time.

Moving on to Jon Ledyard of the Pewter Report’s mock draft, once again no Irish in the first round and once again Kmet being the first Notre Dame player selected at 49th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ledyard has Dayton’s Adam Troutman and Florida Atlantic’s Harrison Bryant as TE’s going off the board prior to Kmet and it seems he isn’t very high on Kmet explaining that “I don’t find Kmet’s game worth a Round 2 selection, his pedigree, size and versatile usage at Notre Dame will likely appeal to Kevin Colbert.”

Ledyard also had Okwara being selected in the second round, going to Seattle at the 59th overall pick. If selected by the Seahawks, Okwara wouldn’t likely see the field much, as the have Rasheem Green and Jadaveon Clowney as their starters with Ziggy Ansah at the position as well. Ledyard digs into the pick saying “Okwara sure looks and moves the part, and we know Seattle doesn’t care much about college production, so this is a match made in heaven.” Okwara would see some playing time, but in a back-up role which might suit him well.

Another mock draft was released yesterday as well, CBS Sports Ryan Wilson, this one not as deep and missing both Kmet and Okwara, just going over the first rounds picks. It seems more and more likely that these two former Irish stars will see their names called during the second day of the draft.

XFL Week One: How Five Notre Dame Products Fared

Then again, having lived through a Marc Trestman era in Chicago I can see how maybe he wouldn’t actually be the answer to that issue.

Week One of the new and improved XFL has come and gone with a lot of positive response. We’ve seen this all before and the real question comes over the next few weeks when the buzz of the new league dissipates and the product needs to leave fans seeking more.

Four games were played between the leagues eight teams on debut weekend with a pair coming each Saturday and Sunday. Five former Notre Dame players started the season on XFL rosters and here is how they all fared in XFL Week One.

Scott Daly and Jarron Jones – New York Guardians

The former Notre Dame long-snapper and former defensive tackle each repped the New York squad in their season opening win over Tampa. Daly didn’t mess up which is the best thing that can be said for a long-snapper while Jones helped pave the way for an offense that scored 23 points in a win over Tampa Bay.

“But wait, I thought Jarron Jones played on the d-line at Notre Dame?”

You’re correct. But since spending time on NFL practice squads he has made the transition to offensive tackle, a position he was drafted as a first round pick by the Guardians as.

Tarean Folston – Tampa Bay Vipers

Former Notre Dame running back didn’t suit up for the Vipers as he began the season on injured reserve. Perhaps they could have used him as they scored just three points in a 23-3 loss at New York.

Then again, having lived through a Marc Trestman era in Chicago I can see how maybe he wouldn’t actually be the answer to that issue.

Greer Martini – Dallas Renegades

The former Notre Dame linebacker recorded two tackles for the Renegades who fell at home, 15-9 to St. Louis.

My main takeaway here is that head coach Bob Stoops lost a big game in which he was favored. I feel like we’ve seen that picture before.

Nyles Morgan – Seattle Dragons

The one-time Notre Dame captain and linebacker did not record a tackle in Saturday’s league debut as Seattle lost to the DC Defenders, 31-19.

For more thoughts on the XFL’s opening weekend check out what was said in Monday’s USA TODAY.

Five Former Notre Dame Players Kick Off XFL This Weekend

When it does kickoff this weekend there will be five former Notre Dame players with roster spots across the eight team league for Fighting Irish fans to follow.

Ladies and gentlemen: “THIS IS THE XFL!”

To quote Vince McMahon now twenty or so years ago, but this “new and improved” version of the XFL doesn’t appear to be quite as extreme as the original product was a couple of decades ago.

When it does kickoff this weekend there will be five former Notre Dame players with roster spots across the eight team league for Fighting Irish fans to follow.

First a long snapper:

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