Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/621849
UPON FURTHER REVIEW TODD D. BURLAGE T hrough injury survival, a next-man- in mantra and the emergence of un- likely heroes at multiple positions, "depth" became an appropriate buzz- word to describe Notre Dame's 2015 season. The depth was on display all season, with the Irish achieving a double-digit win total and a place in a New Year's Day bowl despite losing half a dozen front-line players to injury. The evidence of the talent on this team is even spilling into this offseason with several standout Notre Dame players now facing decisions on whether to re- turn to school for another year, or leave eligibility on the table and declare for the 2016 NFL Draft. While senior All-American left tackle Ronnie Stanley has already made clear his intent to pass on a fifth year at Notre Dame and head to the NFL, four other Irish have until Jan. 18 to make their intentions known. JUNIOR WIDE RECEIVER WILL FULLER Fuller unexpectedly emerged the last two seasons as one of the top big-play receivers in the country, recording 132 catches for 2,239 yards and 28 touch- downs — a pretty strong profile that there is not much left to accomplish at the college level. But for all the game-winning and game-changing catches this second- team All-American makes, he has an equal number of inexplicable drops. Whether one more season at Notre Dame would help Fuller become a more consistent receiver and boost his draft stock is hard to say. But with some lingering ques- tions about his hands and his slender 180-pound build, Fuller would be best served by staying in school, earning his degree and improving his professional profile. Projection: Fuller announced in No- vember that he would return to Notre Dame next season, but now sources are telling Blue & Gold Illustrated that he had Decision Time For Four Irish Standouts C.J. Prosise prospered as a senior running back in 2015, and now has the option to turn pro or return for a fifth season in 2016. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA