UNDER THE DOME
was scheduled to return 20 starters
— all 11 on defense and nine on of-
fense. (It ended up to be 18 because
one offensive lineman was dismissed
because of academics while another
decided to leave school.)
Would you rather point out that
Notre Dame could have had another
decent NFL Draft this year had Stan-
ley, Russell, Day, et al turned pro, or
do you prefer the anticipation of a
more promising 2015 campaign with
their return?
Come the 2016 NFL Draft, Notre
Dame might well be one of the three or
four most represented schools again,
especially if several juniors such as
linebacker Jaylon Smith opt out early.
That's what makes a stellar 2015 sea-
son on the field even more important
for Kelly and his staff. Like in 1977, the
opportunity to make the most of the
talent at your disposal becomes more
pressing.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley (left) could have turned pro this year, but opted instead to return to Notre
Dame for his senior season and will likely be a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA
