Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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still remaining, but … "I'm just a lot more comfortable," Farley said. "At this time last year I was still learning everything. I'm still learning as I go, but I'm trying to help people along just as Zeke and Jamoris helped me last year. It's crazy to me, though, that so much has happened in a year." Notre Dame was blessed with two straight first-round targets in Michael Floyd and Tyler Eifert the past couple of years. No one on Notre Dame's roster will be of that ilk in the 2014 NFL Draft, but Daniels probably will have the most expansive physical toolbox to work with in the coming years. In Daniels' first season of competition last year, his 31 receptions averaged a healthy 15.8 yards per catch, but with zero touchdowns. His chemistry and confidence with classmate Golson was palpable — highlighted by six catches for 115 yards versus Alabama — but now he needs to adjust to senior Tommy Rees. "We need him to take major strides," Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin said of Daniels. "At times last year, he definitely showed what he can do against a high level of competition. He never looks out of place. You never think he's overmatched." A vital ingredient will be a Farleylike approach toward competition. "It's consistency in preparation, it's consistency in the weight room, it's consistency on campus, it's consistency in route running," Martin said. "… He's still a younger kid that's figuring out that big difference between having the ability to be a top-end guy and be- Tight end Ben Koyack — who compiled 152 receptions for 2,591 yards and 28 scores during his high school career — is a dark-horse candidate to be Notre Dame's most improved player in 2013. photo by bill panzica 'Ben' There, Not Yet Done That There are numerous candidates from the junior class who could be in line for most improved Notre Dame player in 2013: running back George Atkinson III, wideout DaVaris Daniels, center Nick Martin, tight end Troy Niklas, linebackers Ishaq Williams and Jarrett Grace … And tight end Ben Koyack could be a dark horse. Because of the production of Tyler Eifert and the emergence of Niklas, it's easy to forget that Koyack was ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 1 tight end when he signed with Notre Dame in 2011, SuperPrep named him the Northeast's Offensive Player of the Year and Sporting News classified him as the country's 34th-best overall prospect after he caught 152 passes for