Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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rushing for nearly 2,500 yards at about 6.0 yards per clip, catching 92 passes and scoring 33 touchdowns (two on punt returns last year). Notre Dame's top decommit pickup at running back in the last 15 years is Jonas Gray (2008), who originally verballed to Nebraska — but keep an eye on 2013 signee Greg Bryant, who first pledged to Oklahoma last fall. Receivers: David Nelson (2005), Greg Little (2007), Deontay Greenberry (2012) Nelson got lost during the coaching transition from Ty Willingham to Charlie Weis. He played for the 2008 national champs at Florida and caught 46 career passes for 630 yards. Little changed his mind from Notre Dame to North Carolina on the eve of National Signing Day 2007. He was declared ineligible his senior year in 2010 for lying to the NCAA about receiving travel accommodations and jewelry. News broke this Sept. 5 that a Georgiabased sports agent provided more than $20,000 in cash and benefits to Little. Like Little, Greenberry pulled a switch on the eve of National Signing Day and ended up with Houston. As a freshman last year, he caught 47 passes for 569 yards and three scores for the 5-7 Cougars. Epilogue: These can't be classified as crushing blows because Notre Dame's golden age of receivers has occurred since 2005 with premier talents such as Jeff Samardzija, Golden Tate, Michael Floyd, Tyler Eifert (a flex tight end) and now maybe Jones and DaVaris Daniels — all who initially committed and signed with the Irish with the exception of Jones. Tight End: Clay Burton (2011) He actually was recruited as a linebacker but switched to tight end at Florida. Last year he started six of the 12 games he played and caught two passes for 12 yards. Epilogue: It's not like Notre Dame has been hurting at tight end with four straight first- or second-round picks, including Eifert this spring. This past recruiting season, the Irish were able to snatch Durham Smythe from the Lone Star State after he originally committed to Texas. Offensive Line: Taylor Decker (2012), Jordan Prestwood (2011) Chris Little (2007), Ryan Baker (2004), Omar Hunter (2008) Defensive linemen Hunter (Florida) and Baker (Purdue) were moved to offense to fill out the unit. Hunter had 31 starts and 111 tackles as Florida's nose guard. Baker had a fine career at Purdue and was a captain his senior year. Prestwood's career has been odd. He committed to the Irish originally, signed with Florida State and played there in the spring of 2011, transferred to Notre Dame, became academically ineligible, and is now also ineligible at Central Florida. Little is no relation to Greg Little, but he, too, decommitted from Notre Dame on the eve of a National Signing Day 2007. He went from Georgia to Northwest College in Wyoming to Southern University in Louisiana, and then became ineligible. Decker at right tackle is the lone non-senior starter along Ohio State's offensive line after playing in a reserve role as a freshman. Epilogue: Offensive linemen gener-