Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 13, 2017 51 IRISH IN THE PROS BY COREY BODDEN T h o u g h t h e i r N o t re Dame careers never brought them all together on one team, wide receiv‑ ers Golden Tate and TJ Jones plus running back Theo Riddick have spent the last four seasons (in‑ cluding 2017) roaming the field for the Detroit Lions. Riddick, who played for the Irish from 2009‑12, joined the Lions first as a sixth‑round pick in the NFL Draft. Jones, who played in South Bend from 2010‑13, joined Rid‑ dick one year later as a sixth‑rounder. Tate was already enter‑ ing his fourth NFL season by the time Riddick en‑ tered the league after being selected in the second round of the 2010 draft by the Seattle Seahawks. The former star Irish wide receiver (2007‑09) joined the Lions the same offseason as Jones. Now, three and a half seasons later, all three are playmakers for quarter‑ back Matthew Stafford. Through the team's first seven games, Tate led the Lions in recep‑ tions (43) and receiving yards (449) and had two touchdown grabs. Jones had hauled in 17 catches for 261 yards to give Stafford a solid third option behind Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. Riddick is one of the better pass‑ catching running backs in the NFL. During the team's 3‑4 start, he had rushed for only 60 yards on 22 car‑ ries but caught 25 passes (third on the team) for 204 yards and a touchdown. Jones set a career high for receiv‑ ing yards with 88 on four catches in a 20‑15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Oct. 29. His total receptions and yards on the season are already career highs. "Any time I'm able to step on the field, whether it's five plays a game or 50, I'm taking every play as it be‑ ing my last," Jones told The Detroit Free-Press. "I go into the game with the same mindset that in those five plays I could get five passes, or in the 50 plays I could get five passes. "So, I think it's just mentally be‑ ing strong and not letting how many plays I'm playing either psych me out or get me too riled up." Riddick has been featured more as a pass catcher during his five sea‑ sons with 196 receptions compared to 186 rushing attempts through four complete seasons and seven games in 2017. His versatility adds another dimension to the Detroit offense to throw off opposing defenses. "Theo's still doing a really nice job," Lions of‑ fensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. "Theo's going to be really produc‑ tive for us. He's had some production along the way, the numbers will sort of come and go. "But I do think guys are paying attention to him, he's had success receiv‑ ing the ball in this league especially and he's getting attention for it." Tate remains the fea‑ tured wide receiver for Detroit and is looking for his fourth straight sea‑ son of 90‑plus receptions and his third 1,000‑yard season. "Five receivers have caught more passes than Tate in the past three seasons: An‑ tonio Brown, Julio Jones, Demary‑ ius Thomas, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry," Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press said this summer. "Tate isn't often considered in that class of receiver, but he has been a very good player. He's sure‑handed, he's a menace when he gets the ball in space and last year he became Matthew Stafford's go‑to receiver. "Tate doesn't have blazing deep speed and he won't win jump balls in the end zone, but he's a chain mover who can play outside or in the slot, and there's plenty of value in that." NBA PLAYERS UPDATE Through Nov. 1 • Pat Connaughton (Played at Notre Dame from 2011‑15), G, Portland Trailblazers: Has seen ac- tion in seven games for 4-4 Portland … Averaging 9.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per contest, while shooting 50.0 percent (23 of 46) from the field and 48.4 percent (15 of 31) from three-point range. • Jerian Grant (2011‑15), G, Chicago Bulls: Started five of six contests for the 1-5 Bulls … Aver- aging 9.0 points, 6.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 30.0 minutes per game, while shooting 33.3 percent (15 of 45) from the field. • Demetrius Jackson (2013‑16), G, Houston Rockets: Has come off the bench in five games for the 6-3 Rockets … Averaging 0.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 8.4 minutes per contest. ✦ Former Irish Trio Making Plays For The Detroit Lions NOTRE DAME IN THE NFL: Week Three Highlights • Will Fuller (Played at Notre Dame from 2013‑15), WR, Houston Texans: Caught five passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-38 loss at Seattle … Now has seven scores among 13 total grabs (for 279 yards) in his first four games back for the 3-4 Texans after recovering from a broken collarbone. • Harrison Smith (2007‑11), S, Minnesota Vikings: Registered seven tackles, including one for loss, in a 33-16 win over Cleveland in London … Has recorded 43 stops, including 1.5 sacks and three inter- ceptions for the 6-2 Vikings. • Jaylon Smith (2013‑15), LB, Dallas Cowboys: Recorded three tackles and defended one pass in a 33-19 win at Washington … Compiled 47 tackles and one sack while starting five of the 4-3 Cowboys' first seven contests. Theo Reddick, who has become one of the NFL's top receiving threats out of the backfield, has 25 catches for 204 yards and one score through seven games. PHOTO COURTESY DETROIT LIONS