Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/462058
UNDER THE DOME DaVaris Daniels Declares For Draft Former Irish wide receiver DaVaris Daniels declared for the NFL Draft in January after missing the entire 2014 season because of an academic investigation. "There were some academic eligibility requirements that were go- ing to be difficult for him to meet," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said on Feb. 4. Senior safety Eilar Hardy returned from the same investigation to suit up for the Irish in the final month of the regular season, but he will use his fifth season of eligibility at Bowling Green State in 2015. Among the three others involved in the investigation, fifth-year senior linebacker Kendall Moore has graduated while junior corner - back KeiVarae Russell is expected to return this summer, and senior defensive end Ishaq Williams possibly could be back too. Daniels caught 80 passes for 1,235 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons, and his presence would have bolstered a returning veteran receiving corps. However, he told Notre Dame's student newspaper The Observer last November that his plans to return were cloudy. "I've changed my mind at least six times so far, and it's still going," Daniels said. Even without Daniels, Notre Dame returns its top six wideouts from 2014. Will Fuller (76 receptions for 1,094 yards), whose 15 touchdown receptions as a sophomore tied the single-season school record, leads the way. Classmate Corey Robinson (40 catches for 539 yards and five touchdowns) is no longer just an outside-the-hash marks, fade receiver while junior Chris Brown (39 catches for 548 yards and one touchdown) saw his blocking improve. Junior C.J. Prosise (29 catches with an average of 17.8 yards per reception), a former safety, is not yet a polished receiver, but his 50-yard scoring run against LSU in the bowl vic - tory off the jet sweep (where he had 126 yards on 10 carries this season) provide evidence of his skills at 220 pounds. Fifth-year senior Amir Carlisle (23 catches for 309 yards and three scores) is an ideal complement to Prosise at slot receiver, plus a contingency option at running back. Sophomore Torii Hunter Jr. (seven catches for 65 yards and one score) has battled health setbacks, but is on the cusp of becoming a regular contributor. With those six, freshmen Justin Brent and Corey Holmes weren't even in the 2014 mix. The same might hold true for incoming prospects CJ Sanders, Jalen Guyton, Miles Boykin and Equanimeous St. Brown in 2015. "That wide receiver group has turned into from at times [in 2013] being soft — they're a tough group now," head coach Brian Kelly said near the end of the 2014 campaign. "You look at them on the sideline and they've got an edge about them … they're going to be a special, special group of players." DANIELS