Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/159744
Slaughter excelled in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl against Florida State, including two sacks off the blitz? Smith, a 6-2½, 230-pound five-star recruit, is the archetype for that role, possessing the athletic skills to cover backs and receivers — in the nickel package at practice he covered senior receiver TJ Jones — and the pass-rushing acumen to rush quarterbacks when called upon. "If we make it that complicated that I can't get Jaylon Smith on the field, then we're not really good coaches," head coach Brian Kelly summarized. "… There's some complexities [at drop linebacker], but I think we can make it such that we can get talented players like Jaylon Smith on the field." Smith arrived with the same fanfare as another former five-star linebacker in Manti Te'o (2009-12). He won't reach his ceiling as a freshman, especially physically, but like Te'o he could have a Pied Piper-like effect in years to come. In both the spring and especially in the two open practices this August, Robinson consistently was one of the most conspicuous figures on the field. We originally thought Robinson would have a 2012 Chris Brown-like role and be a one-trick pony (the fade) as a freshman. There is a lot of room to expand his repertoire, but as the 6-4½, 205-pounder continues to grow (but not too much like his 7-1 father, David "The Admiral" Robinson), he could have a possible Tyler Eifert-like future as a matchup problem. In the Aug. 17 scrimmage, Robinson made back-to-back 20- to 25-yard playmaking catches despite good coverage by top senior corner Bennett Jackson. "Where he catches the football — numbers outside [or on the outside of the numbers painted on the field] — he's been extremely consistent in that area of the field," Kelly said. "Where we have to continue to work with him is as he breaks inside, he's got to get stronger, more physical. But there's no question that he can help us on the perimeter … "I don't think it takes anybody too long to figure out that he's got a great catching radius and if you put the ball in the right position, he can go up and get it. He's not going to be out there playing every snap, but he'll definitely be able to contribute." Luke is perhaps a cross between 2012 freshmen Elijah Shumate and KeiVarae Russell in that he does not quite have the size or physical nature of the safety Shumate and may not be the instant impact performer like cornerback Russell. Then again, Luke probably would have been able to start last year like the Freshman All-American Russell did. Luke already is putting himself in a starting nickel back role (like Shumate last year), but his natural skills in coverage also make him a viable contender to challenge senior Lo Wood as the third corner. The 5-11, 184-pounder looks bigger and stronger than originally expected, more so than Russell was last year. "We like Cole because he's really close to being on the field at the cornerback position, so you're trying to look at who's your third [corner] — maybe one of the top corners that you have that you're getting on the field