Tag: claypool

USA TODAY: Updated Second Round Mock Draft

Kmet is the only Notre Dame player going in Davis’s second round mock.  Houston would be a nice fit, at least in terms of quarterback as perhaps the best receiver in the entire league was who Houston traded.  I wouldn’t want to be associated with Bill O’Brien as a general manager but there are far worse offenses to get your NFL feet wet in than the Texans.

The opening round of the NFL Draft came and went Thursday night with no Notre Dame players hearing their names called.  Entering the night it felt like it’d be an upset to hear any of their names called but a few things that would have been seen as upsets played out on night one.

What happens now in the second round?  Before night two of the NFL Draft kicks off at 7 p.m. ET tonight, let’s look at where the USA TODAY has one Notre Dame player going in round two.

From Nate Davis on Friday morning:

40. Houston Texans (from Arizona Cardinals) – Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame: With the pick acquired in the dubious DeAndre Hopkins deal, why not give QB Deshaun Watson a weapon who can help protect him, unleash the run game and bust a few big gainers down the seams?

Kmet is the only Notre Dame player going in Davis’s second round mock.  Houston would be a nice fit, at least in terms of quarterback as perhaps the best receiver in the entire league was who Houston traded.  I wouldn’t want to be associated with Bill O’Brien as a general manager but there are far worse offenses to get your NFL feet wet in than the Texans.

I know a lot of attention goes to Claypool but the one I’d be most surprised by not getting their name called in round two in Julian Okwara.  He didn’t have the dominating final season with Notre Dame in terms of actual sack numbers and some may use the late-season injury against him but he stayed healthy previous to that with the Irish.  He seems like a mid-second round talent to me and can’t help but see the potential steal someone may be getting if he in fact does not go in round two.

Mock Drafts: Five Notre Dame Players Selected in SI’s First Five Rounds

Sports Illustrated put out their 14th edition of the 2020 NFL Mock Draft. Find out where they have five Notre Dame players being selected.

Quick, how do you know we’ve gotten to the point that we need the actual draft to happen instead of guessing and wondering what’s going to happen with the seven rounds?  If you’re seeing a mock draft labeled as “14.0” then you know we’ve probably guessed enough and we’d all be alright if the picks actually started being made.

Well I have some bad news.  We still have two more weeks of this before the actual draft happens.

With that said, Kevin Hanson of Sports Illustrated released his 14th mock draft and did his without projecting any trades, just by making selections for the first five rounds.  In those five rounds he had five Notre Dame players getting selected.

No Notre Dame players went in the first round of Hanson’s mock but a pair went in Round Two:

44th overall – Colts – Cole Kmet, TE
Great fit to get his first NFL licks with Phillip Rivers throwing him the ball and having Jack Doyle on the roster as well.  Personally I hope he goes a pick before.

51 – Cowboys – Julian Okwara, Edge
The Cowboys have to find pass rush help after Robert Quinn departed for Chicago this off-season.  Okwara would probably be thrilled if this were to end up happening.

Round Three:

66 – Redskins – Chase Claypool, WR
As a fan of Chase Claypool I hope that literally any other NFL team drafts him.  Big Ron Rivera fan but can’t think of many organizations in professional sports that are less respected.

86 – Bills – Troy Pride, Jr., CB
If you follow the league at all you know that Buffalo’s defense has something brewing. If you’re picking teams to be a slot corner for as a rookie then Buffalo is way up on your desirable destinations.

92 – Ravens – Khalid Kareem, Edge
A chance for Kareem to go up against Ronnie Stanley in practice on the regular.  Well, at least the few times teams are actually allowed to practice anymore.

Notre Dame Football: Chase Claypool Named Team MVP

There are cases you could make for perhaps Ian Book or Cole Kmet but what it keeps coming down to for me – when a play absolutely needed to be made – who was asked to make it and delivered the most?

Whenever there was a big play needed in 2019 it felt like you knew where Ian Book and Notre Dame were going with the football.

Find Chase Claypool and let the 6’4” wide receiver make a play.

And seemingly every time he was called upon he answered.

That’s why on Friday night at Echoes, the 2019 Notre Dame Awards Show, Claypool was named team-MVP.

There are cases you could make for perhaps Ian Book or Cole Kmet but what it keeps coming down to for me – when a play absolutely needed to be made – who was asked to make it and delivered the most?

Think of the Virginia Tech game for example.  Before Ian Book’s go-ahead touchdown run, who caught the pass that converted the fourth down to make the touchdown run even possible?

Trailing 3-0 to USC and in the shadow of their own goalposts facing third and seven, who caught the nine yard pass to extend the drive and give the offense some breathing room before eventually marching the rest of the field and taking the lead?

And after a slow start at Stanford in the regular season finale, who was called upon to make the huge touchdown catch just before halftime to put Notre Dame in the lead once and for all?

If you answered Chase Claypool to any of these questions you’re right.

We didn’t even mention his four-touchdown performance against Navy or countless other great showings he had.

So yes, there may have been a case you could make for another player or two, Notre Dame undoubtedly isn’t sniffing 10-2 without Claypool this year.

How Do You Build the All-Time Greatest Notre Dame Receiver?

I’ve only been contributing to the Irish Wire for a short time, but in that time, I feel like I’ve used it as a forum to serve as President of Chase Claypool’s fan club. And guess what? I’m ok with that! But during the course of our frequent …

I’ve only been contributing to the Irish Wire for a short time, but in that time, I feel like I’ve used it as a forum to serve as President of Chase Claypool’s fan club. And guess what? I’m ok with that!

But during the course of our frequent exchange of e-mails and direct messages, Irish Wire Grand Poobah Nick Shepkowski brought up the idea for the following: How would you build your perfect Notre Dame wide receiver?  He says it was because of something Golden Tate tweeted in regards to Claypool earlier this week.

Me, being the sucker for any article idea with historical context, started mapping out my ultimate pass-catcher. A few rules before we get started on my list. First, each player can only be used once for the various characteristics. Of course some of these guys could be on there for various things, but we’re trying to spread the love. Next, my own historical reference dates back to right around 1990. Sorry Tim Brown, Tom Gatewood and Jack Snow fans. Finally, this is my list. I’m not going to pretend like I know everything. I welcome the debate. Now, on with the construction.

We start with my most important trait for a wide receiver. 

First up: Best Hands

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