Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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50 NOV. 13, 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH IN THE PROS BY TODD D. BURLAGE T he irony of former Irish wide re- ceiver Ben Skowronek ending up a 2021 draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams before becoming an important rookie on their 53-man roster this season isn't lost on former 16-year NFL journeyman quarterback Trent Green. Skowronek was selected by the Rams in the seventh round (No. 249 overall), while Green, who played his college ball at Indiana University, was chosen by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round (No. 222 overall) of the 1993 draft. Neither Skowronek nor Green was given much of a chance to make an opening-day roster with the teams they were drafted by — only about 25 percent of picks after the fifth round secure a spot. But Green parlayed his late draft sta- tus into two NFL Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl championship in 1999 with the Rams as a backup to Kurt War- ner. And 22 years later, Skowronek is also trying to buck the odds and win a ring with the same franchise. The connection? Green is Skowronek's uncle and a supportive mentor that has stayed close to his nephew all the way from youth football though draft night, and pre- sumably beyond. "Congrats to my nephew," Green tweeted the night of Skowronek's draft selection. "It doesn't matter when you are picked, it's what you do after. I'm in your corner 100 percent." The respect is mutual between two relatives from different generations. In a recent interview with Rams team reporter Sarina Morales, Skowronek ex- plained that Green's feedback is always positive, welcome and valuable. "He's given me advice since I was a kid, so I've looked up to him," Skow- ronek said of his uncle's influence. "… I think he's the reason I fell in love with the game of football. Just being able to go to his NFL games, going out on the field after the games, just talking to players. Because of him, I became obsessed with the game of football." Immediately after being drafted by the Rams in April, Skowronek's family found an old picture of Green, an NFL quarterback, standing with Skowronek, a scrawny grade-school-aged player, on the field after a Rams game. "I was like, 'Wow, that little kid actu- ally grew up to be drafted by the Rams,'" Skowronek recalled of seeing the photo for the first time. "It was kind of surreal when it came full circle like that." Skowronek is the latest budding branch on an already robust family tree of star athletes. Ben's father, Dave, played college bas- ketball, his older brother Matt was a walk-on safety at Indiana, and count- less cousins were and are standout ath- letes in a variety of sports at the high school, college and even Olympic levels. Skowronek earned two varsity let- ters playing basketball at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Ind., and helped his team win an Indiana High School Athletic Association Class 4A state championship in 2015. But perhaps the trunk of the family tree is what's most interesting. Skowronek is a generational relative to Notre Dame's 1947 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack, who also lives in California, and at 96 is the oldest living Heisman Trophy winner. Alice Skowronek, the sister of Ben's great-grandfather Stanley, was Lujack's mother. "Athletics have always been a very Skowronek, a seventh-round pick (No. 249 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, is carving out a role with the Super Bowl-contending Los Angeles Rams. PHOTO BY BREVIN TOWNSELL/COURTESY-LOS ANGELES RAMS Ben Skowronek Is Overcoming Long Odds In The NFL • Julian Love (Played at Notre Dame from 2016-18), CB, New York Giants: Recorded two tackles (one solo) and an interception in New York's 20-17 loss at Kansas City … Has started one game this season and appeared in all eight for the 2-6 Giants, compiling 19 tackles (seven solo), three passes defended and one interception. • Kyle Rudolph (2008-10), TE, New York Giants: Caught two passes for 12 yards and one touchdown in New York's 20-17 loss at Kansas City on Monday night … Has played in all eight contests and made six starts for the 2-6 Giants, compiling 12 catches for 99 yards and one score. • Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Los Angeles Rams: Caught all three targets for 30 yards — the first receiving stats of his career — in the Rams' 38-22 win at Houston … Took on kick return duties in Week 7 and brought back four for 70 yards … Also has six total tackles (five solo) on special teams for 7-1 Los Angeles. • Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings: Recorded seven tackles (five solo) in Minnesota's 20-16 home loss to Dallas … Also added a pass defended and forced fumble … Has started all seven games for 3-4 Minnesota, and compiled 52 tackles (38 solo), 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and three passes defended. • Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Los Angeles Chargers: Recorded four tackles and one sack in Los Angeles' 27-24 home loss to New England … Has started all seven games for the 4-3 Chargers and compiled 22 tackles with 2.5 sacks. NOTRE DAME IN THE NFL: WEEK 8 HIGHLIGHTS