Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1194048
26 JANUARY 2020 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED in 2012 he was moved back to the backfield and accounted for 1,287 yards, a team-high 917 on the ground and 370 receiving on 36 catches. Slight edge over C.J. Prosise, who began his career at safety, moved to receiver and then rushed for 1,029 yards as a senior in 2015. WIDE RECEIVERS Michael Floyd (2010-11), Will Fuller (2013-15) and TJ Jones (2010-13) Floyd and Fuller were first-round se- lections — the latter after his junior sea- son — while Jones' 181 career receptions were the most by an Irish player in this decade, and second all time to Floyd's 271 overall (includ- ing 2008-09). Floyd nabbed a single-season school record with 100 pass receptions in 2011, but an underrated aspect of his game was what a willing and produc- tive downfield blocker he was. One is treading sacred football soil to make com- parisons to Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame this month, but Fuller was as close to any- one when it came to possessing that type of game-breaking speed. His 144 catches averaged 17.4 yards, and his 30 touchdowns were the most by a Notre Dame player this decade. Jones had neither the size of Floyd or the speed of Fuller, but he was an effi- cient mainstay who recorded numerous clutch catches dur- ing his career and was named Team MVP in 2013. Cases also could be made for Miles Boykin (2015-18) and Chase Claypool (2016-19) to be on the first unit. TIGHT END Tyler Eifert (2010-12) Medically red- shirted as a rela- tively unheralded three-star freshman in 2009, Eifert took over for the injured Kyle Rudolph mid- way through the 2010 season and blossomed into the 2012 John Mackey Award winner as the nation's best tight end for the 12-1 Irish. The NFL first-round selection's 140 receptions are a Notre Dame career record among tight ends, and his 63 grabs for 803 yards in 2011 set the single-season school mark. In a double-tight-end alignment, we would use current Irish junior Cole Kmet (2017-19), whom The Athletic already ranked as the No. 1 prospect at his position as a junior. OFFENSIVE LINE Left to right Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), Quenton Nelson (2014-17), Nick Martin (2012-15), Zack Martin (2010-13) and Mike McGlinchey (2013-17) Not many teams could assemble a line this decade comprised of four first-round NFL se- lections and one in the second. Stanley, Zack Mar- tin and Mike Mc- Glinchey all played left tackle, but this is about putting the five best on the field together. Zack Martin — whose 52 consecu- tive career starts is a Notre Dame re- cord — is now already a five-time Pro Bowl pick and three-time All-Pro at right guard. The Fighting Irish record for Pro Bowl selections is nine shared by Alan Page and Tim Brown, but Martin conceivably could eclipse that, as could Nelson, a rare 2018 unani- mous All-American who already has established himself as one of the most dominant players in the league. P e r P ro F o o t - ball Focus, our left tackle Stanley has graded out as the best pass-blocking tackle (92.5 grade) in the NFL through the first 13 games this season, permit- ting only six pres- sures and no sacks. Tw o - t i m e A l l - A m e r i c a n M c - Glinchey also is es- tablishing himself as a premier NFL lineman on the right side of San Fran- cisco's line, and he also was an excep- tional leader for the Fighting Irish and a tremendous ambas- sador for the school overall. Like older brother Z a c k a n d M c - Glinchey, Nick Mar- tin was a two-time captain for the Irish. The lone second- round pick in this group has started at center the past three years for the Houston Texans. DEFENSIVE LINE Sheldon Day (2012-15), Stephon Tuitt (2011-13), Jerry Tillery (2015-18) and Louis Nix (2010-13) A l t h o u g h t h i s quartet lacks the classic speed rusher off the edge, their individual impact on 10- to 12-win Notre Dame teams was profound. Day's 32 stops for lost yardage (and 141 overall) were the most among Irish linemen this decade, and he was a valuable reserve even as a freshman during the 12-0 regular season in 2012. During that same 2012 campaign, Tuitt became the first Notre Dame defensive lineman to receive second- Ronnie Stanley Sheldon Day Will Fuller TJ Jones Quenton Nelson Nick Martin Zack Martin Mike McGlinchey Wide receiver Will Fuller's 144 catches averaged 17.4 yards, and his 30 touchdowns were the most by any Notre Dame player this decade. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA Michael Floyd