Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Dame experience and want to thank the university, Coach Kelly, my team- mates, the football staff, administra- tion, and my teachers, as well as all of my friends and the entire Notre Dame community for providing this South- ern California native with the experi- ence of a lifetime. "While I will miss being part of the team next year, I will always be part of the Notre Dame family and look forward to returning to earn my de- gree from the greatest university in the country. Go Irish." Without Niklas, Notre Dame will look to current junior Ben Koyack (10 catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns in 2013) and a pair of current freshmen to fill the tight end position in 2014. One of the elite tight end recruits nationally in 2011, Koyack emerged as a more consistent pass- catching threat in the second half of the 2013 season. Mike Heuerman and Durham Smythe did not play in 2013, but Smythe received high praise from coaches and teammates for his work in practice. ✦ Early Exits In Feb. 1990, the NFL declared that it would allow college football players who had completed their junior years to be eligible for the spring draft. It was the last major professional sports organization to allow this practice. Since then, 11 Notre Dame players have departed after their junior season, and 2014 marked the first time more than two did the same year: defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, running back George Atkinson III and tight end Troy Niklas. Here is the chronological list prior to them: Raghib "Rocket" Ismail (1991) — Projected as the No. 1 overall NFL pick in 1991, the 1990 Walter Camp Player of the Year and Heisman Trophy runner-up instead signed a contract for an unheard-of $18.2 mil- lion over four years with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. Jerome Bettis and Tom Carter (1993) — "The Bus" was the No. 10 overall pick of the then Los Angeles Rams and has been on the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot, while cornerback Carter was selected by Washington with the No. 17 pick. Bobby Taylor (1995) — Six other cornerbacks were taken ahead of him, but he was the 50th overall pick in the second round, by the Philadelphia Eagles. Darius Walker (2007) — He finished as Notre Dame's fourth all-time leading rusher (3,249 yards) and first in passes caught by a running back (109), but because he possessed neither superb size nor game- breaking speed, he was bypassed in the draft. Walker latched on temporarily with Houston, St. Louis, Dallas and Denver from 2007-09, but returned to Notre Dame in 2009 for his degree. Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate (2010) — Projected in some circles as a top-10 NFL pick, Clausen plum- meted to No. 48 (second round, signing a four-year contract in which $2.53 million was guaranteed). The 2009 Biletnikoff Award winner, Tate was also taken in the second round (60th overall pick), signing a four- year deal with the Seattle Seahawks for $3.261 million. He has caught 165 career passes and improved his production each of his four seasons, highlighted by 64 catches for 898 yards (14.0 yards per catch) and five scores this season for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks. Kyle Rudolph (2011) — Also a second-round pick (43rd overall), but the first tight end chosen. Taylor and Tate have not completed their degree requirements at Notre Dame. — Lou Somogyi