Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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CHALK TALK BRYAN DRISKELL have had difficulty staying healthy. Help is needed on the back end of the defense, and Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High safety Devin Studstill has the in- stincts, intelligence and athleticism to immediately compete for playing time. Studstill is an early enrollee, giving him an extra semester to learn the de- fense and work his way up the depth chart. It would not be out of the ques- tion for him to push for a spot in the two-deep. JAVON MCKINLEY, WR Working up the depth chart at wide receiver will not be easy, but Corona (Calif.) Centennial standout Javon McKinley is a unique talent that will be hard to keep off the field. He was tremendously productive the last two seasons of his high school career (153 receptions for 3,226 yards and 35 touch- downs) and is physically ready to com- pete on day one. He uses his size (6-3, 205), strength and superior ball skills to make plays. His ability to work zones, muscle his way to the football and win one-on- one battles is exactly what Notre Dame needs at the W position, and exactly what it has been lacking the last two seasons. McKinley is also an underrated ath- lete, possessing enough speed and agil- ity to excel at the next level. JALEN ELLIOTT, S Chesterfield (Va.) L.C. Bird athlete Jalen Elliott has all the tools needed to thrive in the Notre Dame secondary. He is a dynamic athlete that was named a Virginia first-team all-state honoree as both an offensive player (all-purpose) and a defensive back. His speed and agility are top notch, and his instincts should allow him to make a smooth transition to the college game. Elliott is on the thin side, but he's physical and more than willing to de- liver a hit. Arguably his best asset is his versatil- ity. Elliott projects to the free safety, cor- nerback and nickel positions in the Irish defense. This should allow the coaches to move him around in order to get him on the field. Also, special teams coordi- nator Scott Booker will likely fall in love with Elliott. CHASE CLAYPOOL, WR There is work that needs to be done to learn the nuances of the position, but Abbotsford (British Columbia) Second- ary School wide receiver Chase Clay- pool is a freakishly talented prospect. Players with his size, athleticism and pass catching ability are rare. Claypool has elite size (6-4, 215 pounds), but more importantly he knows how to use it. His ability to out-play defenders for the football is unique, a trait that by itself could land him on the field in the red zone. He also possesses above-average speed and im- pressive agility. Claypool is also a physical football player that some feel is better as a de- fender, which could get him time on special teams. ✦ Bryan Driskell has been a football analyst for Blue & Gold Illustrated since April 2015. He can be reached at bdriskell@blueandgold.com.