Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UPON FURTHER REVIEW TODD D. BURLAGE a change of heart and will declare for the draft. SENIOR RUNNING BACK C.J. PROSISE Prosise recorded only the second 1,000-yard rushing season of the six-year Brian Kelly era (Cierre Wood in 2011 is the other), and his 6.2 yards per carry ranked eighth nationally. The reasons for Prosise to leave are compelling and obvious. This 2016 draft class of running backs is not a strong one, with only Derrick Henry of Ala- bama and Ezekiel Elliott of Ohio State clearly ranked ahead of Prosise. The return next season of a healthy Tarean Folston and rising star Josh Ad- ams at the running back position will also presumably cut into Prosise's pro- duction. Projection: Expect Prosise to return to school. But given the timing, the posi- tion competition, a Notre Dame degree in hand, and his versatility as both a runner and a receiver, a jump to the NFL is an understandable option. JUNIOR LINEBACKER JAYLON SMITH Projected as a top-10 pick, Smith has nothing left to accomplish in college, outside of earning his degree. From a football standpoint, Smith is ready to move on, and he most likely will. The Irish coaches re-recruited Stan- ley and defensive lineman Sheldon Day to return for the 2015 season, but even Brian Kelly admitted it's probably not the same with Smith. During his three years on campus, Smith has made his love of being a stu- dent-athlete at Notre Dame no secret, and he indicated when he committed to the program in 2012 that he wouldn't leave without his degree. That can still be attained later. Projection: Smith has kept his deci- sion close to the vest, but ultimately the choice will be based on what's more beneficial right now, a college degree or an NFL career. Expect Smith to choose the latter, and it will be impossible to blame him. SENIOR CORNERBACK KEIVARAE RUSSELL This situation is more complicated be- cause the academic suspension that cost Russell all of the 2014 season means that the NCAA would have to first approve a fifth year before this talented player could even consider a return. Complicating matters further, Russell broke his tibia late this season, which kept him out of the bowl game and could hinder his workouts at the NFL Draft Combine in February. Russell, who will graduate in the spring, was always expected to declare for this NFL Draft. But an inconsistent on-field performance this year coupled with serious rehab that could stretch into the combine season builds a per- suasive argument for Russell's return in 2016. Projection: A tough one to call. Rus- sell took full accountability and made all the mature choices in working his way back to Notre Dame as both a student and an athlete. If the NCAA approves Russell's fifth year, another wise deci- sion for him would be to come back. ✦ Todd D. Burlage has been a writer for Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 2005. He can be reached at tburlage@blueandgold.com