Did 2016-19 Notre Dame wide receiver Chase Claypool have the best NFL rookie season by a Fighting Irish alumnus?
No, that distinction would include relatively recent offensive linemen Quenton Nelson and Zack Martin, who were All-Pro selections in 2018 and 2014, respectively. The same with running back Jerome "The Bus" Bettis in 1993 — another first-team All-Pro in his debut campaign.
However, statistically Claypool did produce the best pass-catching rookie season ever by a Notre Dame alumnus, and that earned him a spot on the 2020 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team.
• Claypool's 62 catches surpassed the previous Fighting Irish rookie record of 45 set by first-round pick Michael Floyd at Arizona in 2012.
• The 873 yards receiving by Claypool eclipsed the rookie standard set in 1988 by first-round pick and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown, who had 725 yards on 43 receptions with the Los Angeles Raiders.
• The nine touchdowns caught by Claypool also nearly doubled the five that Brown snared for the Raiders that same year.
Including two rushing touchdowns, the 11 total tallies by Claypool also were the most by a first-year NFL player from Notre Dame. The previous record was seven by the aforementioned Bettis in 1993. Bettis and Brown were both inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 8, 2015.
Overall, Claypool was the sixth Notre Dame wideout or tight end to catch at least 30 passes in his NFL rookie season.
Claypool (2020) — 62 for 873 yards (14.1 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns.
Floyd (2012) — 45 for 562 yards (12.5 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
Brown (1988) — 43 for 725 yards (16.9 yards per catch) and five touchdowns.
Tight end Tyler Eifert (2013) — 39 catches for 445 yards (11.4 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
Jack Snow (1965) — 38 catches for 559 yards (14.7 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.
Leon Hart (1950) — 31 catches for 505 yards (16.3 yards per catch) and one score.
The 11 total touchdowns were particularly noteworthy. Brown had a career high 11 scoring receptions in 2000, and the record for most touchdown catches in a season by any Notre Dame alumnus is 13 by Eifert in 2015, while Hart had 12 in 1951, his second season in the NFL.
Claypool was selected in the second round as the No. 49 overall pick — and the 11th receiver.
----
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
• Sign up for Blue & Gold's news alerts and daily newsletter.
• Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts.
• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @Rivals_Singer, @PatrickEngel_, @MasonPlummer_ and @AndrewMentock.
• Like us on Facebook.
