Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 57 WIDE RECEIVERS Miles Boykin caught nine passes for 151 yards and a score during the 2017 regular season — but was the MVP of the Citrus Bowl with three receptions for 102 yards, highlighted by the game-winning, 55-yard score. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND NOTABLE DATA Other than all-time Notre Dame receiving leader Michael Floyd (2008-11), no Irish wideout recruits arrived with more high school production as pass catchers than 6-2, 215-pound Javon McKinley and 6-1, 213-pound Jafar Armstrong. The third-highest ranked Irish recruit (No. 59 overall) by Rivals in 2016 — behind drop end Daelin Hayes and offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer — McKinley amassed 3,752 career receiving yards at Centennial High School while facing premier California competition. At Missouri traditional power Bishop Miege, Armstrong had 3,744 receiving yards. A broken leg in late October of his freshman year in 2016 led McKinley to take a medical redshirt in 2017. Armstrong, a state 100- and 200-meter champion, also redshirted last season and began working more at running back this spring. Thus, even though wide receiver might be deemed one of the more unproven areas on the 2018 Notre Dame team, enough athletes have been signed there where it has been a challenge for McKinley and Armstrong to crack the two-deep. 2017 VS. 2018: STOCK UP OR DOWN? Wide receiver was projected to be a strength in 2017 thanks to the return of Equanimeous St. Brown, the arrival of a pair of graduate transfers (Cam Smith and Freddy Canteen) and a promising group of young prospects. St. Brown's game faltered, the transfers caught a combined nine passes and the rest either saw halted development (C.J. Sanders) or found themselves in constant trouble (Kevin Stepherson). Notre Dame's pass catch- ers just didn't make enough plays. Despite the loss of St. Brown and Stepherson, expectations are once again high for the group because of the late-season progression of senior Miles Boykin, the anticipated emergence of junior Chase Claypool and an athletic group of youngsters, including the freshman class. X-FACTOR Deep speed and after-the-catch ability are traits Notre Dame has been missing since Will Fuller departed following the 2015 season. Those are the skill sets the Irish staff expects sophomore Michael Young to bring to the offense. Young possesses outstanding speed, quickness and tough- ness. He was the one wide receiver that was able to consis- tently make plays down the field in the spring against the Irish cornerbacks. The Destrehan, La., native is a quality route runner with a natural feel of making plays with the ball in his hands. If Young plays to his potential this fall he has the skills to create matchup problems for defenses and to help improve the screen game. FRESHMAN OUTLOOK With the returning depth there isn't a need for the freshman class to play instantly this season, but the talent in the group is going to make it hard to keep them off the field as the weeks progress. Braden Lenzy will likely be the fastest player at the position, and along with Young he could greatly improve the vertical threat from the group. Kevin Austin is a physical pass catcher with impressive long speed, top-level ball skills and the tools to make plays after the catch. Lawrence Keys might need time to fill out his thin frame, but he's an advanced route runner with a quick burst that helps set up downfield cuts. Micah Jones provides range and is particularly effective at high-pointing the football when it is in the air. DID YOU KNOW? Since December, Notre Dame has lost five players from its receiving corps that were expected to be part of the 2018 rotation. It began with Equanimeous St. Brown (turned pro after his junior season), Kevin Stepherson (dismissal for disciplinary reasons) and C.J. Sanders (graduate transfer to SMU), and doesn't include Cameron Smith, who exhausted his eligibility at the end of 2017 as a graduate transfer from Arizona State. Following spring drills, a second graduate transfer, Freddy Canteen from Michigan, opted to use his final season of eligibility at a school to be determined. Finally, sophomore Jafar Armstrong, who ar - rived as a wide receiver and can still practice there part time, shifted to running back to aid that position. SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS (9) Listed after the class year is the years of eligi- bility remaining. X Receiver 87 Michael Young (5-10, 192), So./3 25 Braden Lenzy (6-0, 175), Fr./4 13 Lawrence Keys (5-11, 170), Fr./4 Z Receiver 83 Chase Claypool (6-4½, 229), Jr./2 10 Chris Finke (5-9½, 179), Sr./2 4 Kevin Austin (6-2, 197), Fr./4 W Receiver 81 Miles Boykin (6-4, 227), Sr./2 88 Javon McKinley (6-2, 215), Jr./3 80 Micah Jones (6-4½, 208), Fr./4