Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/638727
BY ANDREW OWENS I t's the catch-22 for any program aspiring to be among the best in college football. Sending early-entry talent to the NFL Draft hurts your team's roster for the next season, but it's a sign the program is identifying and develop- ing some of the best players in college football. Persuading draft-eligible talent to return for a senior season has been a mixed bag for Notre Dame. Standouts such as linebacker Manti Te'o (2012), tight end Tyler Eifert (2012), offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley (2015) and de- fensive lineman Sheldon Day (2015) decided to hold off on the NFL Draft in favor of their senior seasons, while others such as tight end Troy Niklas (2014) and defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt (2014) opted to turn pro early. In January, all five Irish players that requested feedback from the NFL Draft advisory board turned pro early. There are varying degrees of turning pro "early," with cornerback KeiVarae Russell, running back C.J. Prosise and Stanley all having finished their senior seasons and simply leaving a fifth year on the table. Wide receiver Will Fuller and linebacker Jaylon Smith were the only true juniors to depart the pro- gram this offseason. "When we were having this oppor- tunity to recruit a young man, they had to have a passion for wanting to get a degree from Notre Dame and winning a national championship," head coach Brian Kelly said of his philosophy in February 2014. "If they want to come here just to hang their hat, to play football and go to the NFL, we passed on some pretty good play- ers because I don't want guys to come here and not finish their degree. "I want guys to come to Notre Dame, get their degree, help us win a national championship and be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. That's what I want, if that's what they want." Stanley was a virtual lock to enter the NFL Draft in 2016 after Kelly and director of athletics Jack Swarbrick persuaded him to return for his senior season last January. The same was true for Smith following his junior season, though a severe knee injury compli- cated matters before he ultimately de- cided to declare for the NFL Draft (see sidebar). "I just want to start off by thanking God for every opportunity that I've gotten thus far in my life and really just my support system with the whole city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, choosing a college like Notre Dame and being MASS EXODUS All five Irish players that requested NFL Draft feedback are turning pro