BY LOU SOMOGYI
L
ike a baseball batter breaking up a
no-hitter in the ninth inning, Notre
Dame's football program avoided its
first shutout in an NFL Draft since 1977
when tight end Ben Koyack was se-
lected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with
the 229th overall pick (out of 256 total)
in the seventh and final round May 2.
The lack of Notre Dame presence
in this year 's draft can morph into
one of those no-win situations for the
Fighting Irish coaching staff. Last year,
Notre Dame tied with Alabama for the
second most players taken in the draft
with eight — so Brian Kelly and the
Irish staff were castigated for a modest
9-4 showing with that surplus (which
was also present for the 12-1 season
in 2012).
This year, when Koyack was the
sole pick, Kelly and Co. are vilified for
"poor recruiting" or "roster misman-
agement."
The reality is that over a five-year
UNDER THE DOME
DODGING
A DRAFT
SHUTOUT
Low 2015 NFL Draft
numbers create high hopes
for upcoming season
Circumstances such as defensive lineman Stephon
Tuitt turning pro after his junior season in 2014
helped prevent Notre Dame from having higher NFL
Draft numbers this spring.
PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL
